Subtle Variations of Blue
by AniPendragon
Summary: Ahsoka is gone. Rex is being trialed for high treason against the Republic. The two are more connected than anyone knows. After his actions land him in prison, Rex sets out to discover the truth behind the puppet master of the Republic and stop the war from destroying the galaxy. But the battles are long; the losses are high; and Rex isn't sure how much more he can take. S6 AU.
1. Chapter 1: Breathe

**Author's Note:** _Subtle Variations of Blue_ is a post-Season 5 AU fic that relies on flashbacks, memories, and snapshots to fill in the gaps between the present (the main timeline we keep coming back to) and the past (everything before this date). In short, this means that why something is happening may not be immediately clear, but it will become clear with patience. Eventually, the past will catch up to the beginning of the story, and we'll move on to a more traditional narrative structure.

To that end, I hope you enjoy the story, and my own spin on the end of Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

 **Warnings:** Canon-Typical Violence, Depictions of Injury.

This is **not** a Rexsoka story. Their relationship is strictly **platonic.**

 _Subtle Variations of Blue_ updates every other Monday.

* * *

 _The Force works in mysterious ways._

* * *

 **Chapter One: Breathe**

 _Rex_

 **Now**

With a flick of his thumb, the medallion went spinning into the air. Rex watched it turn over once, twice, and a third time before it dropped back into his hand. Beyond the flick of the medallion, the only sound in his cell was a faint buzzing produced by the translucent energy wall that kept him locked in. Rex's eyes flicked to the wall for the third time in half an hour. There were men on the other side of the cell, but they didn't acknowledge him.

He'd been here for almost two days and they hadn't acknowledged him once. Rex's lips twitched. He flipped the medallion again.

It spun in the air, over and over. His eyes followed the medallion up and, for a brief second, the medallion froze, suspended in midair despite gravity pulling against it. But the moment ended and the medallion dropped once more. Rex caught it and rolled it over in his hands. Small, smooth, golden. The etchings long since worn down by rough hands and careless trading.

His eyes flicked to the energy wall again. To the soldiers on the other side. He closed his fist around the medallion, let the metal suck the warmth from his body. Then, closing his eyes, Rex leaned against the wall behind him and took a deep, even breath.

" _Remember to focus on your breathing."_

* * *

 **Then**

Rex's gaze flicked from the horizon to the Togruta next to him. She was sitting, cross-legged, on a boulder to his left. She smiled at him, leaning forward until Rex was certain she'd fall off the boulder and into the dust.

"Breathing is the most important part of meditation, Rex," said Ahsoka. She grinned at him. Rex sighed and unfolded his legs, tugging them up so he could drape his arms across them comfortably.

"Commander, as much as I appreciate this, I don't think it's going to work," said Rex.

Ahsoka cocked her head to one side. "Why not?" she asked. "C'mon, Rex, meditation isn't just for Jedi. Besides, you've had a lot on your mind lately, it makes sense to sort it out."

"Did your master teach you that?" asked Rex drily.

Ahsoka snorted. "Skyguy? Maybe in my wildest dreams. Master Kenobi taught me the importance of meditation after battle, but Master Plo Koon taught me meditation originally." Her smile turned nostalgic and soft, the corners of her eyes wrinkling. "He was a good teacher."

"He sounds it," said Rex, matching her soft tone. Ahsoka sighed and fell back on the boulder, her lekku flopping with her. Rex fought the urge to chuckle, but a few slipped out regardless. Ahsoka rolled over onto her stomach and twisted toward Rex. She stabbed a skinny, calloused finger at him and grinned.

"You should watch yourself, Captain, I _am_ your superior officer after all," said Ahsoka, grinning. Her pointed teeth flashed in the mid-afternoon light.

Rex smiled, but couldn't find it within himself to laugh or come up with a witty reply. After everything that had happened on Umbara, the thought of superior officers warning him off actions was enough to make him stomach turn. He grimaced, ducking his head to hide the expression from Ahsoka, but she saw it nonetheless.

"Hey, don't," said Ahsoka, her voice trailing. "I shouldn't have said that."

"What happened wasn't your fault," replied Rex woodenly.

Ahsoka hopped off the boulder and dropped down next to Rex, scowling. "And it wasn't yours either." Rex opened his mouth to protest, only to be cut off by Ahsoka.

"Don't you _dare_ tell me any of what happened was your fault. Krell was a disgusting excuse of a Jedi and an even sorrier excuse for a general. He was a rude, traitorous, horrible person and I am glad he's dead." Ahsoka's voice dropped to a snarl as she spoke, her upper lip curling up toward her nose. Her fangs looked particularly sharp today, leaving her with a hungry, feral look that made Rex a little uneasy.

"Sir," said Rex slowly. "Are you all right?"

"No!" shouted Ahsoka, throwing her arms into the air. She leaped to her feet and spun, throwing out her arms. The boulder she'd been sitting on earlier skid back a good ten feet. She snarled again and grabbed at her montrails, her entire frame shaking. Rex stood slowly, resting a hand of her shoulder.

"Krell should have never been on Umbara. Nothing that happened on Umbara should have happened," said Ahsoka in a hollow voice. "If I'd been there…"

"If I hadn't followed orders," said Rex. His hand on her shoulder tightened. "I'm supposed to be better than the rookies."

Ahsoka sighed and slumped a bit. "We both screwed up, Rex, we can't hide that." She scrubbed her hand over her face. "But we can't let that destroy us either." Rex thought of Waxer as she said that. He thought of the single tear that had slipped down the man's cheek as he'd died. And he thought of Boil – how broken and angry the soldier had been when he'd heard of Waxer's death. He'd cried on Rex's shoulder, swore vengeance in his anger, and Rex hadn't had it in him to berate the man. He'd been in mourning.

They all had. It was a kriffing miracle that Kamino hadn't had them all decommissioned and scrapped for parts after Umbara. Granted, Rex was fairly certain that was due to General Skywalker and General Kenobi. He'd heard the two of them positively _screaming_ when they'd heard what had happened. It was the only time he'd ever seen General Kenobi lose control of his emotions. He'd been as livid and willing to kill as General Skywalker when he'd found out the truth about Krell.

Both of them had fought to keep Dogma on the 501st. They'd lost that fight. Rex wasn't sure what had happened to Dogma. He imagined it wasn't good.

"So," said Rex, rubbing the back of his neck. He glanced at Ahsoka out of the corner of her eye. She was facing him now, having brushed off his hand while he was lost in thought. "Meditation?"

Ahsoka broke into a wide grin and gestured for Rex to sit down. He did, and Ahsoka sat down across from him. He copied her motions as she crossed her legs and rested her hands on her knees.

"Meditation is a very important part of being a Jedi," said Ahsoka. "But that doesn't mean that only Jedi can meditate. It's long been part of martial arts and ideologies throughout the galaxy. Master Plo told me that meditation was created outside of the original Jedi, and that we adopted it from other cultures later on." Rex nodded, though he wasn't sure how much of this was relevant to meditating.

"Regardless of who is doing it and why," continued Ahsoka. "The most important part of meditation is breath control. Your breathing is what will centre you, and it is what will allow you to let go of your planetary tethers and lift yourself beyond the stars."

Rex raised an eyebrow. "Poetic," he said.

Ahsoka shrugged. "General Kenobi told me that one."

"It sounds like him," replied Rex.

"Now," said Ahsoka. "Relax your body but keep your posture straight. The trick is to hold yourself still without tensing." Rex did his best to mimic the relaxed-shoulder, straight-backed posture that Ahsoka had taken on. "Now, I want you to close your eyes." He did. "Now breathe in. Nice and deep. Focus on the feeling of that breath – on how it travels through the air and into your lungs. Take a moment to feel how old the air is and how many other beings throughout history have breathed it."

Rex took a deep breath, then another, trying to taste the age of the air. It was dusty, but he didn't get much else out of it. Perhaps it was a Jedi thing.

"Now breathe out, and feel how that breath pulls all the toxins from your body. Feel how it drags all the negative emotions out of your gut and spreads them into the air and into the Force, far away from you and your concern," said Ahsoka. She took a deep breath and let it out. Rex mimicked her. He felt for the age, for the Force, for anything, but the air was just dusty to him.

"Concentrate on your breathing and nothing else," said Ahsoka. Her voice sounded faraway, like she was already drifting away on the breeze. "And let your mind go blank."

In and out; in and out. Over and over Rex took deep breaths and focussed on feeling instead of thinking. He visualized the negative emotions – his hurt, his confusion, his anger – seeping out of his body and into the air. He pictured them digging into the sand and burrowing far, far away from him.

But try as he might, Rex couldn't drift away like Ahsoka so obviously had. He could still feel the grit in the air and the hard ground beneath his armour. He could feel the heat of the sun burning into his forehead and the sweat trickling down the back of his neck.

He opened his eyes and sighed, deciding to watch Ahsoka instead. Meditation, regardless of what she said, must have been a Jedi thing.

* * *

 **Now**

Opening his eyes, Rex stared at the ceiling of his cell. Then, he closed them again, shifted into Ahsoka's meditative pose, and took a breath.

Rex breathed deeply, feeling his emotions leak out of his body and into the air around him. With each breath he tasted the history of the air, felt the impossible vastness of the galaxy on his tongue and in his lungs. When he opened his eyes, all bitterness had disappeared from his body.

He rolled the medallion over in his fingertips. Flicked it into the air. It twisted end over end and hung at eye level again. A second passed. Then two. The coin held.

Rex smirked.

* * *

 **Then**

The droids rained down every spare bolt they had, throwing heavy cannons and grenades into the firefight just to mix things up. Captain Rex and General Obi-Wan Kenobi were hiding behind what used to be a building but was now waist high barriers.

"Any ideas?" asked General Kenobi. His gaze went from the top of their makeshift shelter to Rex. The captain shook his head, frowning, though Kenobi couldn't see his expression.

"No, sir, sorry," said Rex.

"Well then," said General Kenobi. "I suppose we'll just have to make it up as we go, won't we?" He glanced behind them, beyond the small village, where a cliff edge awaited. It was a good 500 feet to the ground below, maybe more. And it was all forest and rivers down there. The land undeveloped even after years of the villages on the surrounding cliffs.

"Tell me, Captain, how do you feel about falling?" asked General Kenobi.

Rex sighed. "If I have no choice, sir?" he replied.

Kenobi chuckled. "Don't be so sullen, there's always a choice. Me," he said, pointing to himself. "Or them," he said, jerking a thumb over their barrier. More blaster fire was the answer from the droids. They were getting close now – maybe 100 feet out at most.

"Down we go," muttered Rex.

The two took off from behind their makeshift barrier and bolted for the edge of the cliff. Blaster fire rained around them. General Kenobi spun, pulling out his lightsaber and deflecting everything that came close to them. The two reached the edge of the cliff and jumped.

Rex fought the urge to scream as the ground rushed up toward them. The trees and rivers gained more and more detail as the wind rushed around him. Next to him, he swore he heard the general laughing. Then, perhaps a hundred feet up, Rex and Kenobi shot forward, over the trees and the river. Rex leaned forward, letting his arms keep him upright as he looked around. They travelled forward perhaps a hundred feet, then they were descending much slower than they had fallen before.

As they touched down in the cover of the trees, Rex turned to General Kenobi, who was fixing his windswept hair.

"How did you do that, sir?" asked Rex.

General Kenobi shrugged. "The Force works in many mysterious and undocumented ways, Captain." He smiled. "Quinlan Vos taught me that particular trick though."

"General Vos seems like quite the character, sir," said Rex.

"Indeed," said General Kenobi. He shook his head. "Perhaps one day you'll have the… _experience_ of working with him. He's very good at what he does."

"I'm sure," said Rex drily.

* * *

 **Now**

The medallion dropped back into his hand with a dull 'thunk'. Rex stared at it, rolled it over in his hands. Wondered how he'd ended up like this. Wondered how he'd ended up sitting in a prison cell on Coruscant being guarded by men he'd called friends only three days prior.

He sighed and closed his eyes again, resting his hands on his knees and his head against the wall.

"Where did it all go wrong?" he murmured. The guards started. It was the first thing Rex had said since he'd been brought into the cell.

 _And then he was running._

* * *

 **Then**

The underbelly of Coruscant was a dark and filthy mess, filled with criminals and thieves, murderers and traitors. But it was also filled with the poor and the hungry, the under privileged and the party goers. The trick was to figure out who was who.

Sprinting through one of the lower levels, Rex's gaze swept from person to person as he tried to read their faces and decipher if they were friend or foe. But he could not make himself believe that any of these people could possibly help him. There was too much at risk. Too much fear in the air and in his veins, pounding hard with each too-fast beat of his heart.

The words of General Skywalker and General Kenobi rang over and over in his head. The words of his fellow troopers burned beneath his skin. He was on fire. He was running. But he could no longer tell if it was to someone or away from something. The distinction seemed to matter less and less with each step.

Perhaps it was both.

The words of General Skywalker slammed into his chest with their full force as he leaped over a few citizens and thundered down a long set of stairs. _"Ahsoka is a traitor. We are to bring her in."_ The words had been hollow in the general's chest when he'd spoken them. They'd fallen from his lips with such disbelief and horror that Rex knew, he _knew_ , he couldn't possibly agree with them. Couldn't possibly go through with them. So he'd split off his first chance – gone after Ahsoka the only way he'd known how, by tracking her just like she'd shown him.

He would be court marshalled for this. At best.

Rex grimaced. Flexed his hands. Grimaced harder. He needed to run faster.

There were only a few locations Rex knew were safe in the underbelly of Coruscant, far away from prying eyes and far away from anywhere the GAR or the Jedi would look. There were only two that Ahsoka had ever taken him too. She'd been so excited to find such wonderful little places. They had great views and were so far removed without seeming like it.

But only one was good for ambushes. Only one would be any use if Ahsoka was planning on making some sort of last stand – and by the Force he hoped she wasn't – and that was where he was headed. He thundered down another hallway, skid wide around a corner, took off further into the guts of Coruscant.

He was getting close. He just needed to get down two more levels.

He swung around another corner – immediately swung back, plastered himself to the wall, breathed hard but kept his communicator silent. Commander Fox had been walking away from him. Commander Fox hadn't seen him. If he did, he would call out to Rex on comms. Rex grimaced, wished desperately that the Commander had not seen him, and ducked into an alley.

Rex had one main advantage over his brothers down here. And that was Commander Ahsoka Tano. The two of them had spent hours upon hours searching these alleys and streets. They had slid down poles, tucked themselves in alcoves, even figured out a pretty interesting code to use when they did this together.

A smile split Rex's morbid expression at the memory as he ran. These levels were where Ahsoka had refined his tracking technique. This was where she'd stopped being _Commander Tano_ and became _Ahsoka_. They'd become friends down here. Brother and sister in arms.

She wouldn't betray them. She wouldn't.

Rex slid down a pole that appeared in the alley and ducked behind a few trash cans. Several members of the Coruscant Guard went by. They didn't see him. He doubled back into another alley and disappeared once more. This time he found himself surrounded by warehouses in an old docking bay. Only half of them were still in use. Rex knew the men down here. Knew the drivers and knew their cargo. He also knew which of these warehouses was perfect for an ambush.

Slowly, so as not to alert the workers to the danger of the situation, Rex moved through the docking bay. He nodded to those that saw him. Even offered a hello to the young woman and her children who smiled broadly at the presence of a clone trooper. It was a rare thing, to find people so pleased by his presence, and he relished it every single time.

Rex ducked into one of the half-used warehouses. It was full for storage purposes, but no one ever loaded at this dock. It was old and decrepit. Broken and twisted. The warehouse was kept in good condition just to keep the fire marshals and health inspectors off the dock workers' backs.

Inside, the warehouse was silent as it could be in a busy dock. There didn't seem to be any workers in this area, so Rex chanced pulling off his helmet. Hopefully, seeing his expression would keep Ahsoka from thinking he was lying. One of the pains of being a decent liar despite his heritage – when he wanted to be honest, people still liked to think he wasn't capable of it.

"Commander Tano?" called Rex. His voice was hoarse from his heavy breathing. He didn't sound himself. Rex grimaced and tried again. "Ahsoka?" he said. His voice echoed in the warehouse.

Silence.

He'd been wrong. She wasn't here.

Then, "Rex?"

Rex spun. From the shadows, Ahsoka appeared. A phantom in a dark cloak with faintly glowing eyes. Her shoulders were tense. Her eyes darted around. Every inch of her was coiled – ready to spring and disappear if need be.

"I'm alone," said Rex, he set down his bucket and took a step toward Ahsoka. She stepped back, frowning.

"Why?" she asked. Rex stopped short. He grimaced, then sighed.

"Because I know you didn't do this," said Rex.

"No you don't," said Ahsoka.

Rex straightened his shoulders. "Yes, I do," he said, hoping the authority in his voice held out. "It's not in you to kill a brother. Not when you're as close to us as you are."

Ahsoka was trembling. Her hands clutched at her cloak, but Rex could see the trembling of her hands nonetheless.

"I don't…" She trailed off. A deep breath shook her frame, which seemed so much smaller than just hours before. It was the shadows, the hunching. Rex wanted to reach out to her. She was his friend. He wanted her to be okay.

"I don't know what to do," said Ahsoka hoarsely. She slumped against one of the shipping containers, wrapping her arms around herself. "I didn't kill anyone."

"I know," said Rex.

"I have to find out the truth. If I can prove my innocence myself, maybe everything will work out," said Ahsoka. Her tone betrayed her thoughts. Neither of them truly believed that.

Sudden thumps of heavy footsteps near the entrance.

Ahsoka's fearful gaze swung toward Rex. "I thought you said you were alone," she said, voice growing higher.

"I am! I was!" said Rex. "I would never-"

"I know," said Ahsoka. And she smiled at him.

* * *

 **Now**

The whistle-hiss of the energy wall dropping brought Rex back to the present. He opened his eyes and looked at the two guards – both marked with the red of the Coruscant Guard.

"Sir?" asked one, his voice hesitant. The other shifted – he was rolling his eyes.

"He's a traitor, he doesn't get honorifics," snapped the second. Then, to Rex, "Get up. It's time for your trial."

Rex stood and allowed himself to be led from the room and toward the Senate. For such high treason as Rex had performed, he was to be judged by all members of the Senate, not just the Kaminoans.

"Feeling confident?" asked the snide second guard.

Rex shrugged. The guard scowled and shoved him a step.

"I wouldn't," said the guard. "You have no chance of winning."

And he was right, Rex thought. For what he'd done? There was no chance he'd receive a sentence of anything less than execution by firing squad.

As he walked down the hall, Rex sighed inwardly as the final strands of realization pieced themselves together in his mind.

He had less than two hours to live.


	2. Chapter 2: Think

**Author's Note:** Thank you to everyone for the feedback. Please keep sending it in! Reviews are how I know you like a story, and I respond to every single one I can! This and the next chapter are going to answer a lot of questions, so please keep reading.

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Think**

 _Rex_

 **Now**

Rex wasn't sure what was worse – the disgusted hisses and mutterings of the Senate as he was marched in front of them, or the telltale shift of helmets as the men he'd only days ago called brothers looked away from him. Only one clone that Rex could see wasn't pointedly staring away from Rex.

Commander Cody stood next to General Kenobi. His visor was aimed directly at Rex's face. Rex chanced a tiny nod and got one in return. Half the tension in his body rushed out with that nod. No matter how many brothers stood against him today – no matter how many believed he was the traitor the Republic called him – Cody still thought the same of him.

It was a small mercy, all things considered, but one Rex clutched close to his heart as he was marched into a repulsorpod. Rex forced himself not to stumble as a firm hand shoved him the last step. He kept his chin high and his expression blank.

Even from this distance, his eyes could pick out the senators that were sympathetic to his cause. Senator Chuchi, from Pantora, watched him with large, sympathetic eyes. Her lip trembled for a second before stopping. She'd been a friend of Ahsoka's, Rex remembered. It stood to reason she'd have confidence in him as well. He'd been told more than once that Ahsoka spoke highly of him on and off the battle field.

Senator Amidala was the main senator his eyes fell upon. She watched him with the same detached regality that she held for everything else. But there were tells. A twitch of her lips as his repulsorpod lifted into the air and floated toward Chancellor Palpatine. The way her eyes darted away from him and toward Senator Organa as the pod stopped. The way her hands clenched together and her jaw flexed as Chancellor Palpatine called the trial to order.

Yes, Senator Amidala was sympathetic to his cause. But Rex did not know if she'd speak up. Nor if it would matter in the grand scheme of things.

"Members of the Republic, we gather here today for the trial of CT-7567, otherwise known as Captain Rex of the 501st legion under Jedi Knight and General Anakin Skywalker," said Mas Amedda, the Vice Chair of the Republic. His booming voice echoed across the Senate Chambers. Instantly, all chatter stopped.

"CT-7567," said Mas Amedda. "You have been accused of committing high treason against the Galactic Republic." He paused, no doubt for effect. "How do you plead?"

Rex bit back a sarcastic reply – a product of his time under General Skywalker – and gave the question a moment to roll over in his mind. "Not guilty," said Rex, more because he was supposed to than because he had any chance of winning this trial.

Shocked murmurs ran up through the Senate Chambers. Rex wondered how many felt obligated to whisper about his audacity to deny his crimes and how many honestly believed this trial wasn't just for show.

"Order!" called Senator Amedda. He banged the Speaker's staff against the floor of his repulsorpod. "I will have order!"

Again, the Senate fell silent.

"CT-7567," said Senator Amedda, again. "If you plead not guilty to your crimes against the Republic, then perhaps you'd like to tell the Senate why you believe you are innocent."

Rex raised an eyebrow at the senator. His eyes flicked to the man's face paint – subtle shades of blue no doubt meant to make him look younger. Up close, Rex thought the effect was rather comical. But he wasn't here to be funny, and despite knowing that he couldn't win, he knew he should take the trial seriously or else risk his men – _not yours any longer_ , a voice in his head reminded him – getting the aftermath of his punishment.

"I do not believe I committed treason, Senator," said Rex, nodding his head respectfully. He only just kept the sarcasm out of his voice. "I believe I was acting in the interests of the Republic and the future of the galaxy."

A sharp, bitter laugh rippled through the Chambers. From his position, facing Senator Amedda, Rex couldn't tell who the source had been.

"Not treason?" said Senator Amedda. He scowled. A shadow fell across his eyes that made Rex's skin positively crawl across the back of his neck. "In the interests of the Republic?"

Rex nodded. "Yes, sir, that is what I said." Rex felt his lips try to tug themselves into a smirk – he forced it back. Senator Amedda was going purple with rage from Rex's quip. That hadn't been his smartest move.

"Perhaps you'd like to share with the Senate how your actions served the Republic then?" said Senator Amedda. It wasn't a question.

Rex's glaze drifted above Senator Amedda and toward the other senators in the chambers. He scanned the many faces, which ranged from angry to impassive, before finding Senator Amidala. She offered him a tiny smile with her eyes. The barest wrinkle of their corners and a sympathy that reminded him of easier days.

" _Thank you, Captain Rex."_

* * *

 **Then**

Rex blinked and turned to face Senator Padmé Amidala, who was smiling at him. The two stood outside the entrance to her private chambers, where Rex had just escorted her.

Clearing his throat, Rex said, "No thanks necessary, Senator, it is my duty and my honour as a member of the GAR to protect a member of our Senate." He paused, wondering if he could get away with his next line, and tried it anyway. "Especially one who places so much emphasis on the well-being of my brothers."

"Well," said Senator Amidala. "Regardless of whether or not it's necessary, I'm going to keep thanking you. I understand that being my personal bodyguard cannot be terribly interesting."

Rex offered Senator Amidala a warm smile – the same one he'd seen General Kenobi give in diplomatic meetings a hundred times. "It's not that bad, sir," he replied. His fingers brushed the lip of his helmet from where it rested under one arm. Rex fought the urge to shove it back on his head.

Senator Amidala fixed him with a stare that could have burned holes through the thickest shield on a cruiser.

"Captain Rex," said Senator Amidala. "I am many things, but oblivious isn't one of them. I know you'd rather be on the field than here, and I'd appreciate it if you were honest with me."

Rex was silent. He fingered his helmet again. Chewed the inside of his cheek. "Permission to speak freely, sir?" asked Rex. He could feel the bitterness rising in his throat. It coated his tongue and threatened to tumble into open air.

"Granted," said Senator Amidala.

Rex took a deep breath. "I think assigning one of the best field officers to bodyguard duty is an insult to my status and to my abilities. I am a field captain and a strategist, not a guard. And while I have the utmost respect for the Coruscant Guard, I am not a member of them for a reason." He scowled and fought the urge to grind his teeth. "Every minute I am with you is a minute I could be ensuring that my men live to fight another day. Frankly, I think General Skywalker is insulting me." He took a breath. The regret of the words already oozed under his skin. It prickled and hissed and threatened to bubble up once more. This time, he clamped it down successfully.

Senator Amidala regarded him with raised eyebrows and what Rex swore was amusement. A tiny quirk of one side of her mouth. A smirk. Her eyes filled with mirth.

"You are quite the character, Captain," said Senator Amidala.

Rex cleared his throat. "Apologies, sir."

"Oh, don't apologize. You made many excellent points. I plan on bringing them up with General Skywalker," she replied.

"Sir?" asked Rex. He paled at the mention of General Skywalker. Was he in trouble? He never should have spoken.

"Because I agree with you. I'm going to raise your points, under my own name, of course, to him, and get you back in the field." She grinned, a flash of white teeth and a quiet smile.

Rex faltered. He struggled to find the words to respond. Fell short. Tried again. After a long moment of gapping like a fish, he managed, "Thank you, Senator Amidala."

Senator Amidala reached out and grabbed Rex's forearm. She stepped closer to stare into his eyes directly. "You're a good man, Rex. Let's get you back to your brothers." Still holding onto his arm, she dragged him into her private chambers, rattling off the various eccentrics of Anakin Skywalker that drove her mad.

Rex couldn't help but grin.

* * *

 **Now**

"Not particularly, no," said Rex, finally answering the question Senator Amedda had posed. "My actions served the Republic in ways that would take a very involved explanation to fully understand."

"I see," said Senator Amedda. He drew out the second word until it seemed a parody of its former self. He scowled at Rex. His eyes were dark shadows framed with ill intent. Rex was reminded, not for the first time, of Krell. The comparison made his gut clench and his teeth ache.

"If you do not wish to explain your actions, then we move to the senators," said Senator Amedda. There was a disdain in his voice that Rex knew wasn't faked.

The first senator to step up to Rex's defense was Riyo Chuchi. She stood with her head held high and her blue skin gleaming in the harsh chamber lights. She looked around at the other senators with a soft, pleading look, before turning her gaze to Rex.

"Senators, I had the honour of working with Captain Rex when former padawan Ahsoka Tano assisted me in my investigations of Coruscant. On more than one occasion, Captain Rex has proven himself loyal to the Republic in my eyes," said Senator Chuchi. She took a breath. "I will not argue that Rex did not commit the actions we see as traitorous. We have witnesses. We know he was there when these actions took place." Her gaze turned to Rex. There was a fire burning behind her eyes. Determined and bright. It ignited her every word and expression. He could almost taste the hope that spilled from her lips with every word.

"But I will argue that we do not know the full story," said Senator Chuchi. "I _will_ argue that Captain Rex would tell us, if he believed he stood a chance at being found not guilty. I _will_ argue that if we agree to listen and to judge him fairly, that he will prove himself loyal to the Republic once more. Thank you." Senator Chuchi nodded, gave a little bow, and let her repulsorpod take her back to her position in the chambers.

A second Senator, this one from the Banking Clan, floated forward. "And what does Senator Chuchi have to say about the accusations from our Chancellor, hm?" The senator chittered and shook his head. "I do not believe CT-7567's story will be any more believable than the hopeful pleadings of a _girl_." The senator floated back into his place.

Rex grit his teeth and forced his expression to stay neutral. Senator Chuchi was scowling herself, but when her expression turned to Rex, it softened again. She offered him a weak smile and a quiet twist of her head – a shrug without shrugging.

Without Rex's side of the story, all of this was pointless.

Once more, his gaze turned to the clone troopers lining the various entrances. Then, his gaze slid to the members of the Jedi Council and to the clone commanders that stood two steps behind them.

A gleam of grey and red on white caught his eyes. Commander Wolffe.

* * *

 **Then**

In the aftermath of Commander Tano's trial, Rex was dragged in front of a squad of clone commanders led by Commander Wolffe. Each one was helmetless and looked absolutely terrifying. Rex swallowed hard and stood his ground.

"You nearly got yourself killed out there," hissed Commander Wolffe, taking a few steps forward. The veins around his cybernetic eye seemed to throb with each beat of his heart. "What were you _thinking_?"

Rex was silent. His gaze found the other clone commanders, but none of them said a word. Commander Bly was the only one to break the impassive look that all the other commanders were giving him. Bly offered him a half-smile, quirked to one side, and a question in his eyes.

"I was thinking that I knew she was innocent," said Rex.

"You had no way of knowing that," said Wolffe. His voice was low and dangerous, a growl that suited his namesake. "What if she hadn't been found innocent, Rex? What if General Skywalker didn't find out it was Offee? You would have been decommissioned!"

Rex actually flinched at the last words, prompting a momentary lapse in Wolffe's harsh expression. Then, regaining his footing, Rex let his anger pour into his eyes and his mouth. Let it overtake his features and burn him to his core.

"That was a risk I was willing to take," said Rex. "I was and still am loyal to Commander Tano, regardless of what happens after today. I will not be reprimanded for something I knew was right!" His voice rose to a shouted snarl for the last few words. Two of the commanders – Bly and Gree – took a step back.

Commander Cody watched Rex with what could only be described as worry. Then, he sighed.

"Rex," said Cody. He stepped forward, resting a hand of Wolffe's shoulder. "It's not our job to choose between right and wrong. A good-"

"A good soldier follows orders," said Rex. He couldn't keep the bitterness out of his voice. "Not this time, Cody. I did the right thing, and no one can take that from me. Whatever happens next, happens. But I will not take back what I did."

Wolffe scowled. "And when you're court martialed for this, I hope you learn your lesson."

Rex flashed Wolffe a hungry grin. "Doubtful."

* * *

 **Now**

In Rex's pondering, he'd missed half of Senator Amidala's defense. He tuned back in just in time to hear her closer.

"Is it not the right of all people to free will? To choosing between what is right and what is wrong?" Senator Amidala said. Her loud, authoritative voice echoed in the chamber. "Is it not our duty as a free republic to uphold those standards and those laws?" She slammed a hand onto the repulsorpod. "I say, yes!"

She turned her attention to Rex. "Whatever Rex did, he had his reasons. He knew what was he doing. He believed what he was doing was right. If we stand here and tell him that he is wrong – before we hear his side – can we call ourselves a republic? Can we call ourselves just?" asked Senator Amidala. She shook her head. In a quieter, defeated voice, she said, "I don't think we can." Then, she floated back to her spot on the wall.

After that, the senators spoke quietly to one another. They were convening on whether or not Rex should be told to give his side of the story. They were convening on whether or not he would be allowed to stand for himself. When he'd said he didn't want to share his side, he'd only been partially joking. He'd known that he wouldn't have been allowed if he'd said yes. Now, that might change.

But he doubted.

For a few minutes, there was nothing for Rex to do. He watched the senators with keen eyes. Picked out the faltering in their expressions. Senator Chuchi glanced back at him more than once. Senator Amidala spoke animatedly with Senator Organa and several others he didn't recognize. Her hands flew with every word and her face was slightly flushed.

She was giving her all to save him, Rex thought, his mind filling with wonder. She was going to fight until her last breath to save him.

And he was barely trying.

The thought slammed into him with a dull ache. A pain that he had been aware of before, but now it renewed with a vengeance. If two well-known senators were willing to put their careers, their reputations, on the line for him, did he not owe it to them to try as well?

But there was no chance that he would be allowed to speak. There was no chance that he would be allowed to give his side of the story. The Senate was decided, whether Senator Amidala and Senator Chuchi realized that or not.

There had to be another way.

And then, just as suddenly as the pain of his apathy renewed, Rex remembered… well, he _remembered_.

* * *

 **Then**

With aching lungs, Rex forced himself through the jungle. The thick air kept him from breathing properly, but he refused to stop even as his vision began to spot.

Ahead, perhaps two hundred feet, was the monster that Rex chased. On its back, unconscious, was General Anakin Skywalker. The creature was headed for a long stretch of caves that Rex and General Skywalker had seen only days before.

Rex leaped and grabbed onto a tree branch. He used the cover of the leaves to stay out of sight of other beasts. From tree to tree he sprung. His body melded into the trees. His armour long since brown and green.

Rex dropped onto a long branch. Trailed the monster. Got a running start and leaped onto its back. He grabbed the staff on his back and shoved it between the creature's shoulder blades. It howled. It jumped and flailed. Rex grabbed General Skywalker and shot a grapple – flying away from the monster before it could turn.

He hit the ground and rolled. Skywalker rolled with him. Then, on his feet, he dragged Skywalker into the cover of the trees and hauled them into the branches. The creature passed underneath. It sniffed for them. It tilted its head and listened. The staff still stuck out from between its shoulder blades. A great patch of half-congealed blood formed around the puncture point.

Rex held his breath.

Almost a minute later, the creature lumbered off. Rex slumped against the trunk of the tree and exhaled slowly. Relief flooded his body and he couldn't help the nervous laugh that bubbled up from his throat.

"That, was close," murmured Rex.

General Skywalker groaned. His eyes opened with a great deal of resistance and hesitation. Rex helped the general sit up and got him against the trunk – effectively swapping their positions.

"What happened?" asked General Skywalker, rubbing his head.

Rex planted his hands on the branch between his knees for balance. "You were knocked out by a large native creature, sir," said Rex.

General Skywalker raised an eyebrow at him. "Yeah?" He grimaced. "How'd we get out of that one?"

"I grabbed you, stabbed it, and ran," said Rex. He shrugged.

With a chuckle, General Skywalker said, "Excellent tactic."

Rex shrugged again. "With respect, sir, sometimes the best option is to avoid conflict, wait for the right moment, and flee." Rex smiled. "It worked out in your case," he pointed out.

"Fair enough," said General Skywalker, nodding. "Now, let's get out of this tree."

"Yes, sir," said Rex. He chanced a half-mocking salute at his injured general. Skywalker only chuckled in response.

* * *

 **Now**

No, Rex thought bitterly, sometimes a flat out fight wasn't an option. Not that he wouldn't have loved to strangle Senator Amedda and the members of the banking clan.

"Order in the Senate," called Senator Amedda, banging his staff again. When all the senators were back in their repulsorpods, he continued. "It is time for a vote. Before you are your options. Choose wisely."

Rex swallowed hard. All around him, the senators decided his fate with a simple press of a button. His gaze swept the Senate as they voted. It fell on Senator Amidala, who smiled warmly at him. Then he found Senator Chuchi, with her big, soft eyes. She didn't look hopeful. Finally, it landed on General Skywalker and General Kenobi. Skywalker had his arms folded across his chest and was scowling so deeply Rex thought it might stick.

Even from this distance, he could feel the rage and distaste roiling beneath Skywalker's skin. It burned hot in Rex's gut whenever he looked at General Skywalker's face. In truth, Rex was not sure what that rage was directed at. Did General Skywalker believe him to be the traitor the Republic was convinced he was? It was hard to tell.

Next to General Skywalker, General Kenobi watched the Senate with an impassive look on his face and his hands clasped in front of him. There was a quiet worry emanating off of the Jedi Master, but nothing in his facial expression betrayed it. Rex quietly admired General Kenobi's ability to mask his emotions so cleanly. He was sure everyone in the Senate knew of his own fear by this point.

"The votes have been tallied. A decision has been made," said Senator Amedda. "CT-7567 shall not be allowed to give his side of the story," Rex grimaced. But it was expected, "and, his punishment shall be…" He paused, and this time Rex was _positive_ it was for dramatic effect. "…execution by firing squad, forty-eight hours from now."

The Senate was split between shocked and approving murmurs. Rex heard them only distantly. He'd expected to be executed – that part wasn't a shock. That they were making his brothers do it was unsurprising, but still cruel. That he was not to be executed for forty-eight hours was, however, very surprising. He suspected the Senate still wanted to have him questioned. He'd already been questioned twice since being apprehended, but Rex doubted that mattered to them. There was always _more_ to find. Especially when he hadn't been terribly forthcoming to begin with.

Senator Amedda was staring at Rex. Rex stared back, allowing every ounce of defiance and distain he held to filter into his eyes. The senator scowled.

"Soon," he said. "You will get everything that's coming to you."

Rex grinned. "Of that, _sir_ , I have no doubt."


	3. Chapter 3: Lie

**Author's Note:** Chapter three has arrived! More mysteries revealed and more questions to ask. As always, thank you to everyone for the feedback. Reviews are deeply appreciated - especially since the view counter is currently broken and reviews are the only way I know anyone is reading! I hope you all enjoy the chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter Three: Lie**

 _Rex_

 **Now**

After the trial, the cell seemed smaller. Rex sat cross-legged on his cot with his hands on his knees and attempted to meditate. Every noise in the area seemed so much louder than it had been only hours before. The humming of the energy wall. The creaks of the armour as the guards shifted. The rustling of his loose clothes against his skin. Even Rex's own breathing seemed impossibly loud in the small space.

He closed his eyes. He tried to quiet his breathing alongside his mind. Bit by bit the anxious tension across his muscles seeped out of his skin and into the air. Every breath expelled the twisting shadows in his mind and the clenched feeling in his gut. The world, slowly, ever so slowly, opened up beneath his hands.

The air pulsed around Rex with each inhale and exhale. The galaxy expanded beyond his comprehension and shrunk down to the air in his lungs simultaneously. He could feel the age of the cell. The age of the air. The age of the planet all aching beneath his fingertips.

And he could feel the two approaching Jedi.

Rex released a final breath. The galaxy shrunk back down to his own knowledge and senses. His hands stopped tingling. The air stopped having a taste beyond salt and sweat and dust. He opened his eyes.

Approaching his cell was General Skywalker and General Kenobi. Skywalker had a look of murder about him – with windswept hair and dark, hungry eyes. Kenobi seemed his sensible self, though Rex could feel the growing anxiety beneath his skin.

"Generals," said one of the guards. Both snapped to attention. "What can we do for you?"

General Kenobi offered them his most well-known look – quiet understanding awash with command. Rex knew that look well. It was what Kenobi used when he had to make people do things they didn't want to do.

"We'd like to speak with the prisoner," said Kenobi. If his mouth twitched on the last word – as though he was going to say something else instead – no one but Rex noticed.

"Of course, sirs," said the nicer of the two guards.

"Alone," said General Skywalker. His tone left no room for argument.

The second guard tried anyway. "We have our orders-"

General Skywalker stopped him with a look. "And now you have new ones. Leave." The guards, without a backward glance, took off down the hall. Not quite running, but it was close. Rex was torn between amusement and fear. Amusement over the reactions the guards had had. Fear over what Skywalker was planning to do with him.

The shield into Rex's cell dropped. The Jedi stepped it. It didn't raise again. They knew he wouldn't – couldn't – run from them.

"Sirs," said Rex. He nodded his head but made no move to leave his cross-legged position on his stiff cot.

General Kenobi shifted to a standing rest. At ease, relaxed, but still ready to move. "It's good to see you, Rex," said General Kenobi.

General Skywalker, by contrast, folded his arms tightly across his chest. Each muscle in his body was coiled and tense. It was fighting movement instead of being absently prepared for it. He said nothing.

"And you, sirs," said Rex. "What can I do you for?"

"Where's the holocron, Rex?" asked General Skywalker. It appeared he was going to speak after all.

Rex let his gaze find General Skywalker's. He lifted his chin and kept his face impassive.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

* * *

 **Then**

It shouldn't have been this easy to break into the Jedi Temple. But all Rex had to do was put on a cloak, toss up the hood, and bow his head. He moved like a Jedi. Felt like a Jedi. Looked like a Jedi.

Who was going to question him?

A combination of instinct and carefully remembered blueprints took him through the Temple and into its heart. A few Jedi said hello to him as he passed, and Rex pitched his voice to be someone else. Someone familiar but forgettable. No one would remember he had been in the Temple.

Soon, he reached the Jedi Archives. And minutes after that, he was climbing the stairs to the Holocron Chambers.

* * *

 **Now**

Skywalker scowled deeply enough that Rex was positive it would stick. Kenobi, as always, was far more diplomatic.

"Rex, there is a holocron missing from the chambers, a holocron that only four people knew about," said Kenobi. "Other than you, only I, Anakin, and Ahsoka knew about that holocron."

Rex shrugged. "Perhaps she took it with her when she left," he said.

"Ahsoka would never steal a holocron," snarled Skywalker. He came forward a step. Dark waves of energy roiled in the Force around Skywalker and battered against Rex. He met Skywalker's enraged gaze with his own calm one. Cocked an eyebrow.

"Are you certain?"

Skywalker slammed his durasteel fist into the wall to Rex's left. It left a dent. Kenobi only sighed.

"You're certainly not forthcoming," said Kenobi drily.

Rex shrugged again. "Why should I be, sir? I am no longer a member of the GAR. I am no longer a soldier. I'm a man with a death sentence hanging above his head and nothing I say or do now will stop that."

"Rex, please, if you tell us where you hid the holocron, we could have your sentence brought down," said Kenobi.

Rex shook his head, a wry smile lifting the corners of his lips. "I highly doubt that, sir. They don't exactly let you off easily for committing murder."

* * *

 **Then**

With the holocron stolen, removed from the Temple, and hidden in the Coruscant underbelly, Rex signalled transportation and headed to the 79's. If he was right, and in this case he knew he was, then the 501st was still off-world and on mission with General Skywalker.

A bitter taste flooded Rex's mouth. His brothers were fighting wars. And here he was, on medical leave for _impaired judgement_. The very idea of it made him sick to his stomach. Yes, he'd lost his brother, Fives. And yes, he'd attacked Commander Fox for using lethal force. And yes, _maybe_ he'd put Commander Fox and two of his men – who'd unfortunately gotten in Rex's way – in the infirmary and on bacta patches.

But that didn't mean he couldn't do his job.

What was a clone without his brothers? A captain without his army? A soldier without a war? Here, on Coruscant, Rex was useless. Here, on Coruscant, Rex was thinking too much. And in his thinking, he'd driven himself to dangerous thoughts and more dangerous actions.

But the truth was there. And he had to know it.

Rex pulled himself from his thoughts as he pulled up to the bar. He tossed the driver some credits, climbed out, and kept his head down. He was out of uniform in the gray standard that most men wore off-duty, and with his head covered by a hat he figured no one would recognize him at a glance. That was, so long as he kept his eyes down.

Oddly coloured eyes on a clone got looks. And the blue of his own – recent and hissed about between fearful rookies who saw the shifting power behind the color – would surely draw more attention than he wanted.

But then, he only needed to stay inconspicuous long enough to get a drink and wait for the toasts. Then, he wanted all eyes on him.

* * *

 **Now**

Skywalker snorted and stabbed a finger in Rex's direction. His eyes were wild. Bloodshot and bruised. His hair was a mess. He kept licking his lips.

"Why did you try something so _stupid_?" asked Skywalker. "Of all the people to kill why-"

Rex snarled. "There is a conspiracy going on in the Republic and I refuse to stand by and watch everything I've fought for burn to the ground!" He was standing. Fists clenched and at his sides. Eye to eye with Skywalker. One set wild. The other, infuriated. At a glance, you couldn't tell which was which.

"Do you have proof?" asked Kenobi.

Rex growled low in his throat and turned away from Skywalker's snarl. "I did until Fox _shot him._ " The last words were a snarl, spoken through barred teeth and tightly held fury.

Skywalker's voice was cold as he said, "Fox was following orders."

 _A good solider follows orders._ The words slammed into Rex, spoken in the voices of a hundred fallen men. Hollowly as Dogma echoed them when he was taken away. Brokenly as Tup slipped into unconsciousness. Frantically as Fives lost his mind and his life in Rex's arms.

"You don't use lethal force on a brother," said Rex. He clutched his fury close and used it to blanket the awful, sinking numbness that threatened to sweep across him. The echo of the words tugged at his mind, forcing his memories to chase every man he'd ever heard speak them while he presently chased Skywalker's words with his own.

"Regardless of why everything happened, we stand here, at the present, in its consequences," said Kenobi. "Those motives are still relevant, yes, but what is more relevant is trying to save your life."

Rex looked Kenobi in the eye before he spoke. "You can't. I'm a dead man walking and you being here is just going to ruin your reputation, _sir._ " Rex was surprised by the amount of venom he managed to get into his voice. "I've been charged for theft of Jedi property, conspiracy to commit murder, betraying the Republic and its intentions, first degree murder of important persons, and aiding and abetting a traitor to the Republic." He snorted. "Though that last one should be wiped, unless they really believe Ahsoka stole the holocron."

"So you don't want our help," said Skywalker.

Rex scowled. "I don't see the point in it."

Skywalker opened his mouth to protest, blinked hard, then turned and stalked out of the cell. Kenobi sighed, not even bothering to call back the other man, and looked to Rex with eyes so full of sorrow that Rex thought he might drown in them.

"I'm sorry, Rex," said Kenobi. "But if you won't tell us why you did what you did, if you don't have proof." Kenobi shook his head. "Then you will die."

"So be it," said Rex. Kenobi nodded and left the cell. The shield came down once more, sealing Rex into his room, and the guards returned shortly after.

They didn't say anything. Neither did Rex.

There was nothing left to say.

* * *

 **Then**

Rex and Ahsoka stood at the edge of the trial, watching the woman beg and plead to the court about her innocence. Most of the attending patrons scoffed at her words, muttering to themselves, but Ahsoka stood firm, her arms folded across her chest and her head held high. The high neck of her Jedi attire drew attention here, and she seemed to be using it to her advantage.

"She's innocent," said Ahsoka to Rex. Her gaze never left the pleading woman.

"Because of what she's saying?" guessed Rex.

Ahsoka shook her head. "It's a feeling. Reach out toward her, listen for it."

"How do you listen for a feeling?" asked Rex. "Sir," he added, belatedly. He was getting worse and worse at that lately. Ahsoka only smirked.

"Trust me," she said. "Just listen."

Rex did as Ahsoka had taught him. He let the world around him fade into obscurity until only the woman and her words remained. He felt for her fear, for her conviction. He listened to the words as they spilled from her lips and tried to find the truth behind the desperate pleas.

Nothing.

He shook his head. The world came back into focus. "I can't _feel_ anything," said Rex. "Except the draft in this place." The gentle breeze brought smells of the outside market, which was taking advantage of the high profile trial.

"She's innocent," said Ahsoka.

Rex shook his head. "Without proof, how can you know?"

Ahsoka grinned at him – all pointed teeth and sharp eyes. "Oh, I have proof, just none these people will listen to." She rolled her eyes. "It's all superstition and mumbo-jumbo to them."

"Well, mumbo-jumbo is definitely proof," said Rex. He couldn't quite hide the mirth in his voice.

Ahsoka nudged him with her elbow. "I know she's innocent, you just have to trust me."

"I do," said Rex in a quietly fond voice.

Ahsoka smiled – warm, inviting. "Then we need to work together," she said. "And find some proof these people will actually believe."

* * *

 **Now**

Rex sat down on his cot and sighed. He folded his legs and rested his wrists on his knees. The world blurred with hundreds of emotions and thoughts. The roiling pit of fear in his stomach grew tighter and tighter with each breath.

He sat up straighter, let his body go loose even as his shoulders rose to level height. Let his eyes drift closed and find a semblance of peace in the darkness. Let his breathing even out into the small expanse of the room. Each inhale drew the air from the room into his lungs, filling him with all the emotions and thoughts he'd left tangled about. Each exhale filled the room with a quiet calm. The thoughts dissipated. The emotions fled. He felt the world simultaneously dim and brighten around him.

His fingers found the medallion on his bed, he rolled it over in his fingers and rested his hand on his knee again.

He breathed. He thought.

He remembered.

* * *

 **Then**

The toasts in the bar were growing louder and louder by the minute. Cheers to old battles and to lost comrades. Cheered to battles still to be won and men who stood before them. Tonight was not a night of mourning, tonight was a night of celebration. A night to celebrate and to cheer and to laugh. To be men and not soldiers.

Rex toasted with them, keeping his chuckles quiet and his hair hidden. Not a man in this bar recognized him without looking closely.

"To Commander Bly, who still manages to be more reckless than General Secura!" cheered one man. The others cheered along with him.

"To Waxer and Boil, apart but not without each other," said another. That got some shouts about other brotherhoods.

"To Echo," said an ARC Trooper. "Who reads regs even in death!"

More laughter. More rough-housing. A glass hit the floor and exploded. The men in this room were so drunk half of them could barely stand. Rex sipped at his drink and said nothing.

He watched Bly, who was indeed in the bar, shove playfully at the man who'd 'toasted' him. Watched Wolffe, who scanned the room with both his regular and bionic eye. He didn't know what the man was searching for, but he kept his head down all the same. There were brothers joking with other patrons of the bar. Brothers who passed by him, leaning on a bar stool, without a second thought. Brothers cracking jokes and drinking drinks and laughing it up.

Brothers who wouldn't be his after tonight.

Rex pushed off from the bar stool and pulled off his hat. He tossed it to one of the Twi'leks in the bar and cleared his throat. He still stood within arms' reach of the bar, but now men started to recognize him. Within moments, half the bar had gone silent.

Rex raised his glass. "To Fives," he said. And his booming voice quieted the rest of the bar instantly. "Who deserved a better death than that of mad descent."

There was silent for a moment. Then, Wolffe raised his glass. "To Fives."

"To Fives!" cheered the bar.

"And to finishing what he started," said Rex, his lips quirked into a knowing smile.

That got silence. A lot of brothers looked to one another. They whispered their confusion.

"What do you mean?" said Bly.

Wolffe asked, "Finish what?"

Rex downed his drink in one go. Slammed it onto the bar. Grinned as he said, "I'm going to kill the Chancellor."

* * *

 **Now**

Rex opened his eyes. The medallion floated in front of him.


	4. Chapter 4: Run

**Author's Note:** As I'm sure most of you know, school is back in session for a lot of us. My college semester is in full swing now and is actually a compressed semester, due to my work placement at the end. This means I'm incredibly busy right now and that my posting schedule might change a bit. For now, I'm going to try and keep the one-per-two-weeks chapter uploads for this story, but chapters may be a day or two late from time to time (like with this one). Either way, thank you everyone for sticking around, and I hope you continue to do so.

As always, feedback is greatly appreciated, as it encourages me to keep writing.

* * *

 **Chapter Four: Run**

 _Rex_

 **Now**

There was ten hours left until Rex was to be executed. And fifteen minutes until the guard rotation began.

Rex sat, cross-legged, on his cot. His hands rested on his knees. His posture was straight, but relaxed. His clothing – a simple pair of grey pants and a long-sleeved grey shirt over a white sleeveless shirt – was regulation tight against his skin.

The guards said nothing. Rex said nothing. He felt the time slip away between his fingertips.

And then, it was time.

The two guards – these two, Rex didn't know personally (thankfully) – nodded to one another. The one on the right side of ray wall stepped forward and began his circuit through the hallway. Once he disappeared around a corner, Rex counted to ten, then he stood and walked up to the humming green wall.

He stood perhaps a foot from the guard in front of him and lifted one hand to the man's relative eye level. Rex took a deep breath. He let the power of the galaxy wash over him.

"Face me." It was a simple command, the barest echo of his mind surrounding it. After a moment, the soldier turned. Even with his helmet on, Rex knew the trooper was frowning. He didn't know why he'd obeyed.

Rex tried again. Reached deeper this time. Tried something a bit more complex. "Tell me your name."

"Why?" asked the soldier. Rex gritted his teeth. He needed to think harder about this. How did Skywalker phrase these things? Oh, right.

"You will tell me your name," said Rex. His mind wrapped around the words as they passed through his lips.

"Trigger," said the soldier. His voice sounded faraway.

Rex swallowed hard against the lump in his throat and the taste of bile on his tongue. He spoke again. "You will show me your key card for this cell."

Trigger pulled the key card from his belt and held it up to Rex. Rex licked his lips. Fought the urge to shudder and drop this whole charade. But he was running out of time. _Oh Force, why was he doing this?_

"You will let me out of my cell," said Rex. He drew every ounce of power and command into his voice we could. Waved his hand across the soldier's vision the way Kenobi did. Tried not to think too hard about who was behind that mask.

The soldier stepped back. The cell wall disappeared.

* * *

 **Then**

They were running. Feet pounding hard against the ground and breaths coming harder with every step. Ahsoka and Rex sped through the Coruscant underbelly, well aware of the soldiers that had nearly caught them three times already.

At the next corner, Ahsoka skid to a stop and yanked Rex into a thin side street. The two slipped back until they reached a door and ducked into a decrepit basement just before the Coruscant Guard ran by. Their uneven, shaking breaths were the only sounds in the room.

"You should go," said Ahsoka after a few pant-filled seconds.

Rex shook his head. "I won't leave you."

"Rex."

"Ahsoka," said Rex. He tugged off his helmet to look her in the eye. "I won't walk away when I know you're innocent. You told me once to trust my instinct, and now, I am. Let me help you. Let me find proof that _they_ will believe."

Ahsoka stared at him with wide eyes, and, after a beat, Rex realized she was staring at his face, not just at him.

"What?" he asked. His gloved fingers brushed his cheek self-consciously. "Something on my face?"

She shook her head. "No. I just…" She pressed her lips together. "I swore your eyes were… blue… just for a second."

Rex turned and caught his reflection in an old mirror. His eyes were normal. He stared a moment longer. They flickered. Brown and blue and brown again. All in less than a second.

"What the Hell?" murmured Rex.

Ahsoka frowned. "You must be affected more than I thought…" She trailed off.

"We'll figure it out later, after we save you."

Ahsoka smiled at Rex, but it was strained and tight. Her lip trembled. Her eyes bled defeat. She sighed. "Yeah," she said. "After all this." But she didn't believe a word she said. And both of them knew it.

* * *

 **Now**

Rex skulked through the halls on light feet. Without his armour, he was a good fifty pounds lighter, but also a lot more exposed. Anyone down here would know who he was. From the blond hair to the blue eyes to the way he held himself. Too much Jedi. Not enough clone. It was a dangerous tightrope to walk, and Rex knew he was toppling over without anything to catch him.

"I'm telling you, man, she was out to _here_!" A trooper. A rookie. His voice not yet dragged down by dozens of battles of hundreds of lost brothers. Rex ducked into an alcove and held his breath.

 _You can't see me. You can't_ see _me._ It was part Force suggestion, part frantic wish, part prayer. It worked. A pair of troopers, one with unmarked armour and another in the red of the Coruscant Guard, passed by Rex's hiding place without a second glance.

The sight of the red made Rex's blood boil. Fox. The man who had killed Fives. The man who believed the Senate to be clean of corruption and taint from the Separatists. Fox, the man who nearly killed Ahsoka and Rex as well. If he had the time and the gumption, he'd have visited Fox. But, as it stood, Rex was already behind schedule.

He tucked down a hallway and ducked into a second alcove. Above him, a camera made its slow rotations. Rex watched the camera for a long moment. Then, when it turned away, he darted forward. Flattened himself to the wall just beneath the camera. It continued its rotation. No alarms went off. Rex let out a shaky breath. Waited for the camera. Kept going.

He disappeared down another hallway, found the access panel, and climbed up the mostly unused staircase leading into the back halls of the main floor. Rex swallowed hard. He had only a few minutes before they knew he was gone. He'd avoided most of the clones and the cameras, but, chances were, something had caught him. He needed to be fast.

But the alarm had yet to go off, and that meant the Force was on his side today.

* * *

 **Then**

The blaring alarm over Rex's com link set him nearly toppling over a ledge. Ahsoka yanked him back just before he slipped. Rex jammed the button on his wrist to turn off the audio. Basked in the silence as he grimaced.

"Kriff, I think that means you've been spotted," said Rex.

"Shouldn't they have disconnected you from the coms then?" asked Ahsoka.

Rex shook his head. "Don't think they saw me."

Ahsoka sighed and scrubbed a hand over her face. "All right, let's go."

The two tore through the underground, heading for where the cruisers were stored. Ahsoka wanted to hop on one and find some cover for the night. Rex was inclined to agree.

The two hit level after level, jumping stairs and climbing elevators. There was a moment when Ahsoka leaped a twenty foot gap and left Rex behind. She turned and stared at him, as if just realizing he was there.

Rex nodded to her, backed up, and got a running start. At the last possible second he felt the air twist around him. It propelled him across the gap and next to Ahsoka. He rolled when he hit the ground. Got up and was running again.

Rex and Ahsoka glanced to each other as they ran. It appeared she was in the same boat as him. Neither one knew which one of them had pulled him across the gap.

A few more corners, a fast skid, and the two hit a dead end. Ahsoka cursed and turned around.

She met half a dozen blasters, raised to eye level.

Rex swallowed hard and twisted part way around, keeping himself able to look at both Ahsoka and their hunters without putting his back to either.

"Nicely done, Captain," said Commander Fox. "Now shock her so we can go."

Ahsoka looked between Rex and Fox. Rex glanced between Ahsoka and Fox. In that instant, he was torn. His brothers or the woman he knew was innocent. But there was something wrong about this entire situation. They should have already subdued Ahsoka. Why were they waiting?

What was Fox trying to prove?

Rex swallowed hard. Decided. Turned to face Ahsoka and hissed, "Run." She stared at him, nodded, and stepped back.

"What are you doing?" said Commander Fox, a hint of desperation to his voice.

Rex turned back to the Coruscant Guard and pulled out his blasters. In the moment it took him to raise them, he'd already switched them to stun.

"Defending the innocent," said Rex, and he fired.

* * *

 **Now**

Rex hit the underground running. The alarm had gone off two minutes ago.

He cursed as he stumbled, then swung around a corner. Commander Fox stood at the end of the street. Behind him, Rex heard other soldiers coming.

Even wearing his red painted helmet, Fox's expression was obvious. His emotions roiled around him in a dark, rumbling cloud. Hunger and anger. Disgust and drive. A clash of hatred filled emotions that should never be directed at another brother.

But Rex wasn't exactly a brother anymore, was he?

Rex looked over his shoulder to the soldiers coming. Looked forward at Fox. Made a decision in the second before they got within proper range. He turned, ran for the edge of the platform, and jumped.

He soared ten, twelve, fifteen feet high. Arced over the open air the speeders flew through. He crossed the entire thirty foot gap without trying. Landed lightly on the other side. Looked over his shoulder to see the other soldiers.

They were gapping. He couldn't see their faces. But he knew they were gapping.

Rex grimaced. There went that secret. He wondered how Kenobi and Skywalker would explain _that_ mess.

Before they could regain their wits and shoot him, Rex disappeared into the shadows.

He made it maybe a hundred feet and around two corners before a voice stopped him cold.

"Hold it right there, Rex." The telltale sound of an armored hand over a blaster set every alarm in Rex blaring.

* * *

 **Then**

The smell of blaster fire was still strong in the air when they came and took Rex away. It wasn't just the Coruscant Guard, no, it was also the Wolfpack and Commander Cody. That was the worst part. Commander Cody seeing him after he'd gunned down two people. Two people everyone thought were innocent.

They tossed him in a speeder and took him to the jail cells.

"That was clever, telling us you were going to kill the Chancellor," said Commander Wolffe. "Certainly got us all away from who you were actually targeting."

"Don't congratulate him," snapped Fox.

Commander Wolffe snorted. "I'm not."

"Why?" asked Cody. Rex only stared at him with sad, defeated eyes. "Why did you kill the Kaminoans, Rex? Why did you kill Nala Se and her assistant?"

Rex said nothing. It wouldn't have mattered anyway. He had no physical proof. Only feelings and visions, fear and anger. All warped from mourning a man who should not be _dead._

He was thrown into the cell an hour later. And taken to his trial several days after that.

* * *

 **Now**

Rex raised his hands in surrender and turned. Despite his sudden fear, he'd know that voice anywhere.

"Hello, Cody," said Rex.

The clone commander in yellow painted armour stared at him down his blaster sights. Rex caught the slight quiver in his hands. The tip in his head. The twitch of his shoulders. The hesitation in his breathing.

"Put that way, won't you?" asked Rex. "We both know you aren't going to shoot me."

Cody lowered the blaster and holstered it. He shook his head and pulled off his helmet. Rex was struck by the softness in Cody's expression. The fear mixed with worry mixed with defeated concern.

"What's happening to you, Rex?" asked Cody.

Rex shrugged. He didn't really know, either.

"The coms are exploding, men saying you jumped thirty feet. That you have glowing blue eyes," said Cody. Rex couldn't help but smile at that one. His eyes had gone from a dark, dull blue to a vibrant blue since those first flashes when he helped Ahsoka escape. And he'd grown stronger too.

"How are you doing this?" asked Cody.

"It's a long, long story," said Rex. "And I don't really have time to explain."

"Then tell me why I shouldn't take you in. _Please._ "

Rex thought hard on what to say. On what would make Cody listen. He didn't want to lie anymore. And this was _Cody_ , he shouldn't have to. But Cody was still as loyal to the Republic as he had been before Ahsoka had left and Fives had died. Before Skywalker started going off the rails and Kenobi looked like he was going to collapse. Before the Senate started to buckle and the Kaminoans started to betray them and before everything had gone to Hell.

But Rex was the only one that seemed to see all of it happening. And he had no proof that _any_ of it was happening. Not the kind of proof to get listened to.

"There's… a lot of rotten things going on in the Republic. A lot of things that I don't understand," started Rex. "But I need to stop them. It's the only way I know how to save the Republic." Rex scrubbed a hand across his head and let out a desperate laugh. "Cody, we can't win this war. Not the way we're going. We're losing more and more battles. We keep losing men. The Senate doesn't listen!" His voice went high and tight. His eyes were wild. His chest heaved.

"The Republic is supposed to be a place of good and of justice, but more and more I'm realizing Offee was right. We've lost it. We've just kriffing lost it," said Rex.

"How do you know any of this? What's going on?" asked Cody.

"I don't know," said Rex. "But I know the Chancellor is part of it. And the banking clan. And the Kaminoans."

Cody stared. "That's why you killed Nala Se."

"Yeah." Rex nodded. "I couldn't prove what she was doing, but I had to…" He shook his head and clenched his fists. "This is all so screwed up."

"Evidently," said Cody. It's the broken hush to Cody's voice that knocked Rex out of his frustration. He stared at Cody for a long, long moment.

"I need to stop this," he said.

"I know," said Cody.

* * *

 **Then**

"Ahsoka!" At the edge of the platform, Ahsoka paused. Rex jogged up to her. She looked different – her light sabers were gone and so was her padawan braid. Her shoulders sagged as well, as though she was under a great, invisible weight.

"You really going to leave without saying goodbye?" asked Rex. "I nearly got court marshalled for you, after all." It was a sorry attempt at a joke and they both knew it.

Ahsoka grimaced and couldn't meet his gaze. "I didn't know what to say," she said. A quiet confession.

With one hand on her chin, Rex raised Ahsoka's head so he could look her in the eye.

"Goodbye is enough," said Rex. Ahsoka stared at him a moment with tear filled eyes. Then she threw her arms around his shoulders and clung to him tightly. Rex clung back, breathing deeply.

"You'll be okay," murmured Rex. "You'll find your way. I know you will."

Ahsoka nodded against his shoulder. "So will you." She pulled back. "Keep Skyguy safe for me. Promise?"

"I promise," said Rex. "And…" Rex trailed off, biting the inside of his cheek.

"I know," said Ahsoka. "I'll keep looking, try to find out what's going on in the Republic. Something's fishy Rex, we both know that. And I won't stop looking until it's fixed or I'm dead."

Rex grinned. "Republic's in good hands then, 'Soka." His expression faltered. "I'll keep looking too. If I find something – anything – I'll see about contacting you."

"Regular traitors, aren't we?" said Ahsoka, drily. Rex nodded. She smiled, soft and warm. "If you need me, you can contact me." She tucked a tiny communicator into his hand. "I'll be here as soon as I can."

She brushed a thumb under one of his eyes and frowned. "They're permanent now, aren't they? The blue?"

Rex nodded. "Yeah, far as I know."

She shook her head, a sense of wonder in her voice and in her eyes. "You really are family now, aren't you?"

Rex kissed her forehead. "Vode An," he whispered.

"Vode An," said Ahsoka. Their fingers pulled apart and Ahsoka stepped onto her ship. Just before she left, she turned back to Rex and smiled. Rex smiled back.

And then she was gone.

* * *

 **Now**

Cody's com, set to play outside his helmet like it was on the battlefield, crackled to life. Fox's voice filtered into the alley air.

"Commander Cody, do you read?" he asked.

"Cody here," said Cody.

"Have you spotted the escapee?"

Cody and Rex locked eyes. There was an impossibly long moment, no longer than a second in real time, in which neither of them spoke.

"No, sir," said Cody. "Nothing yet."

"Alright, keep an eye out, Fox out."

Rex stared at Cody. Cody stared at Rex.

"Why?" asked Rex.

"Because you're right," said Cody. "Something is rotten in the Republic and I have no idea what. And if you do…" Cody shook his head. "I can't stop you. It's not in me. You're my best friend – my brother – and I work for the Republic's interests. In this case, that's what you're doing."

Rex smiled. "Thank you," he said, no louder than a whisper.

"If you need me…" Cody trailed off. "I don't know how much I can do. But I'll try. Just promise me you'll fix this. Promise me you'll keep yourself alive long enough to see how this war ends." He paused. "To fix it if the Republic loses. Or becomes as bad as the Seppys."

"I promise," said Rex. Then, he stepped forward and wrapped Cody in a tight hug.

"Vode An," breathed Cody.

"Vode An," echoed Rex. "I'll be back for you – for all of you – as soon as I have some proper proof."

They pulled back. Cody grinned, but his eyes were tired and tight with fear. "I look forward to it. Now, go. Before someone else gets here."

Rex took a step back, then another, then another. He saluted Cody. Cody saluted back.

And then Rex was gone.


	5. Chapter 5: Seek

**Author's Note:** On time this update! Woo. Thanks to everyone who left feedback on the last chapter, it's greatly appreciated. If you want, please leave feedback on this chapter as well, it always improves my day.

As a note: I am trying out a new format this chapter for flashbacks. Please let me know what you think of it. Do you like this way better or the old way? Should I try something else? Thank you!

* * *

 **Chapter Five: Seek**

 _Rex_

 **Now**

Rex moved through the Coruscant underground with purpose. With Cody keeping their brothers – no, not his anymore – off his back, he had just enough time to head for his hiding spot and grab the holocron.

Rex ducked into a side alley and flattened himself between the two walls. He shimmied down the alley, dodging bricks that stuck out of the alleyway. He stepped in something sticky and a grimace crossed his features. He really, really hoped that wasn't old sewage. But down here, there was no way of knowing.

High above his head were windows, several of them open, and the sounds of people going about their evening lives mixed with the sounds of people in the streets. Both were so distant that their words were unintelligible, and Rex pushed the sounds into white noise and focused on his destination.

Squeezing out of the end of the alley way, Rex crept down the back streets of Coruscant. Homeless citizens and wandering pick pockets kept to these back alleys, but they paid Rex no mind. He was dirty and exhausted, and didn't look much better than most of them at this point. Down this far, and out of uniform, most didn't notice he was a clone, or else they didn't care.

If they knew who he was, they'd be on him like stink on garbage. The last Rex heard, they were putting a bounty on his head. Apparently the Senate would rather Rex was caught by any means necessary than try to explain why a clone trooper was being executed for treason.

 _Weren't they supposed to be perfect?_ _If one cracks, couldn't they all?_ Rex imagined their voices as he moved. His treason. His actions. His changes. They would ripple out and effect all brothers. He only hoped the Senate wouldn't do something drastic because of him. It was one thing for a low rank trooper to give the Sith information. Another for a trooper to shoot a Jedi for no reason. What Rex had pulled was something else entirely.

Rex swallowed hard. Slick. Dogma. Tup. Now him. Four brothers. Four traitors. Too many to write off as simply coincidence, but hopefully still too few for the Kaminoans to think it was anything but misfortune and bad batches.

Rex ducked out of one side-street and replaced it with another. The smog of the streets filled his nose and lungs, leaving him wanting for air. Without his helmet filters, he wasn't acclimatized to being this low.

Creatures and people alike peered out at Rex from the shadows. No matter how close he clung to the shadows, they found darker ones to watch from. In most of those shadows, only the eyes of those that watched him were noticeable. Rex wondered what caught their attention. His outfit? It was too plain. His movement? The rolling weight of his steps shifted with the grace of his movements. Too Jedi. Bound to get him noticed.

But even as Rex calculated these things, he kept his eyes out for clone troopers. Sure, they weren't supposed to be down this low. But then, clone troopers obviously weren't as prone to following orders as they'd always been taught. The thought brought a bitter smile onto Rex's face.

Two more turns. A set of stairs. Above him, a light exploded as it overheated. The glass rained down around Rex and the woman next to him. She shrieked and ducked out of the way. Rex brushed the glass from his shoulders and tugged his collar up higher.

Another set of stairs. Rex turned a corner. Abruptly spun back around and flattened himself to the wall. Clone troopers ran by. They didn't see him. Rex exhaled slowly, careful to keep it silent. That had been too close.

Rex ducked into another side-street – there were far too many of them down here for the troopers to hit them all – and crept a few streets to the left. He kept his eyes and ears on full alert. His body buzzed from the last encounter. If he wanted to get off Coruscant in one piece, he needed to know where the troopers were at all times.

He needed a com link.

* * *

 **Then**

In the aftermath of Umbara, no one was in good condition. Rex half expected the Jedi to show up, declare them unfit to battle, and ship them all back to Kamino to be used for maintenance work and spare parts. If they were kept alive at all.

But it didn't happen.

Not an hour after they left. Not a day. Not two days.

When it got closer to a week, Rex's worry increased, instead of decreased. Dogma was gone. Back to Kamino. And Rex tried not to think hard about what had probably happened to him. Tried not to think about the fact that he would never see Dogma again.

Slick and Dogma. Two troopers fallen for things that could have been prevented. If there were two, there would be more. He didn't want it to be true, but he knew that was what the Senate would think. That was what the Jedi would think.

If they won the war, what would happen to them?

Rex put his head in his hands and sat down heavy on his bunk. Some of his brothers milled around in their bunks, but none spoke to him. Most were too distracted by their own worries. Those that weren't knew Rex was in no condition to talk to them. There were probably a few that were just plain too scared, but Rex tried not to mull on those.

After his argument with General Windu and his screaming match with Commander Fox, Rex figured he deserved whatever he got from his brothers, especially since he wasn't being put on probation.

"Captain Rex?" Fives stood a few steps to his right, holding one of his arms. It was a gesture he'd picked up from Echo, before his death in the Citadel. The way he rubbed at his elbow, like it was hurt, drew Rex's eyes. But it was just a nervous tick, repeated a thousand times after a thousand battles.

"What?" asked Rex. His voice was hoarse, cracked. Both men pretended not to notice.

"Can I ask you something, about what happened?" asked Fives. Rex gestured for Fives to sit down next to him. Fives did. His lips were pressed together so tightly they had turned white and he was fiddling with the knuckles on his left ring finger.

"What is it?" asked Rex.

"Chancellor Palpatine is the one who called General Skywalker back to Coruscant, and the one who assigned General Krell to us on Umbara," started Fives.

Rex nodded. "Yes, he was."

"Do you think… I mean is it possible…" Fives scrubbed his hands over his hand and took a deep breath. "The Chancellor is supposed to know everything about the war. How did he not know General Krell was corrupt?"

Rex shook his head and dropped his arms onto his legs. "I don't know."

"He _had_ to have known. Or at least suspected. Right?" asked Fives. There was a hint of desperation in his voice. His eyes were bloodshot and searching. They stared at Rex until Rex was forced to look away. "Someone had to have known." It was the broken tone of Fives' voice that made Rex want to cringe away.

"I don't think anyone did. If you can hide from the Jedi, you can hide from the Chancellor."

"But-"

"No," said Rex sharply, cutting Fives off. "What you're talking about is _treason_ , and you're lucky you came to me. You're saying the Chancellor knowingly sent a Sith supporter into an active Republic battle to kill us." Rex gritted his teeth. "That's treason. That's saying the Chancellor is a Sith supporter himself." Rex turned on the bed to face Fives and gripped his shoulders.

"Rex?"

"You need to be careful what you say, Fives. Now more than ever. So if you want to talk to me, I'm here, but don't you _ever_ say the Chancellor is a traitor again. Not in public. Not in your head. Nowhere." Rex swallowed hard. "That will get you killed. You understand?"

Fives nodded. "Yes, sir."

With that, Fives got up and left. Rex stayed for a while longer, rolling Fives' words over in his mind. He was right – surely someone had known Krell was a traitor. But then, hadn't Slick been able to hide as well? Both had betrayed the Republic without anyone inside ever knowing.

But maybe… Rex shook his head. No. He couldn't think like that. The Chancellor was a good man, regardless of what Fives was thinking. There was no way he could have known about Krell.

Rex stood and made his way to the door, trying to block out the traitorous thoughts. Now more than ever, he had to be a good soldier, a model for the other men to follow. If he broke, they all would. And they all would suffer.

He couldn't live with himself is his actions got his brothers punished.

* * *

 **Now**

Rex tracked the three members of the Coruscant Guard for six blocks. He kept to the shadows and drifted along – unseen and unheard by all those around him. From time to time he'd duck into the alcoves as the men checked over their shoulders, but those times were far and few between.

He was lucky he wasn't going up against the 212th or his own. Rex grimaced at the thought – no, they weren't his own anymore. They were just the 501st.

He and Cody had spent weeks ensuring that every man checked his six more often than these soldiers. It was an insult to Commander Fox how inept they were. But Rex wasn't complaining, it made this easier for him.

And anything that made Commander Fox look bad was okay by his books.

Rex kept his head down as he slid forward. The three men turned the corner. Rex darted up to the edge, peered around the corner, and headed after them. Every step brought him closer to the men. Every step brought him closer to failure or success.

Taking a deep breath, Rex ducked into an alcove. He threw his voice into the nearby alley.

"He's over here!" The men spun toward the alley in front of Rex. It was thin, just barely wide enough for a clone trooper in full armour.

Rex waited for the men to take a step forward, then, he threw his voice again.

"I saw him! I need back-up in the west side." This time he tossed his voice down a flight of stairs. The men paused, looked at one another.

"You two take west side, I've got the alley. Keep your coms on," said one of the men. Rex watched as the trio split – two headed for the stairs and one headed for the alley. Rex waited for the two men to disappear down the stairs before he followed the one on his own.

As he rounded the corner into the alley, Rex found himself wishing he knew the man's name. It would have made this harder, but at least he would have had a connection to one of the faceless men on the Coruscant Guard. At least he still would have been connected to his brothers.

Rex followed the soldier through the alleyway, careful to step lightly and keep his breathing silent. It was almost eerie, the difference in their foot falls and body language. The rigid, precise movements of his brother juxtaposed heavily with Rex's own light, flowing steps and near-instinctive shifts. It occurred to him that he was the outsider, not his brother. That Rex's steps were the odd ones.

It left an odd pit in his stomach when he thought about it.

Rex's foot caught on the next step, sending a few pebbles skittering forward. He froze. So did the soldier. Rex darted forward, fist already drawn back, as the soldier turned around. The soldier didn't even get a chance to shout a warning before Rex appeared in front of him. Rex slammed his fist upward into the man's jaw and sent him sprawling. He smacked into the wall hard enough that his head snapped back. Then, the soldier was still.

Grimacing, Rex crept forward and pulled the com link off the man's armour. Then, before he could convince himself it was a bad idea, he pulled the man's helmet off as well. He reached around the man's neck and tugged his dog tags up into view.

 _Bolt_. That was his name. With a shaky nod and shakier hands, Rex replaced the dog tags and the helmet. And, snapping the com link onto his wrist, he took off again.

"No sign of him on the west side," said a voice over the coms.

"And nothing down on the 47th floor," said another.

"You sure we shouldn't call the 501st?" asked the first. "They know him better than we do."

A snort. Then, "And risk a whole platoon of traitors? No thanks." Rex scowled as he headed down a staircase. Traitors? They couldn't possibly think that all of his men were traitors. He ducked around several pedestrians on the streets and kept listening.

"Couldn't bring them in anyway," said a third voice. "I heard Kenobi and Skywalker are interviewing them all today. Looking for any other traitors." Rex's blood went cold. He stumbled a step, then recovered. That couldn't be right.

He turned a corner and leaned against the wall. No one paid him any attention.

That couldn't _possibly_ be right. Skywalker and Kenobi couldn't think they all were traitors. He still wasn't convinced they thought _he_ was a traitor. Surely Kenobi didn't at least. Skywalker was often clouded by his own emotions but surely…

Rex's thoughts petered off. He shook his head, hard, to try and dislodge the ideas bouncing around inside it. Then, he headed deeper into the bowels of Coruscant. Just a few more levels and he'd have what he wanted.

* * *

 **Then**

In the aftermath of Slick, every soldier was interviewed to see if they'd had anything to do with his treason, if they'd known what he was doing, and if they were planning anything similar. While Rex was well aware of why the Jedi were doing this, he couldn't help but feel a bit affronted for his men. They were good men. They didn't deserve this.

And they didn't deserve his own doubts. They didn't deserve the way he studied each and every one of them, looking for flaws in their arguments, hesitations in their words. Treason in their eyes.

Rex shook it off and headed away from the line-up of men waiting to be interviewed. He knew they watched him as he went, but he couldn't bring himself to care. A deep cloak of apathy drifted around his shoulders and threatened to cover him whole.

He leaned against a wall once he was away from the men and closed his eyes. How had it come to this? How had it come to believing his own men would hand them off to the Separatists? And what had the Sith done to convince Slick to change sides?

Rex pushed off the wall and shook his head, heading back to his bunk. No, he couldn't keep thinking about all of this. It would drive him mad, just like it had done with Slick. That was the only explanation – the Sith had gotten under Slick's skin, poisoned him with lies and false promises. That was the only way a clone would ever betray his brothers.

…Right?

But the longer Rex thought about it, the more he wondered. And the more he wondered, the more he worried he was a traitor as well. Were doubts about the Republic traitorous by nature? Would his thoughts betray him? Would they leak into his words and actions?

Rex clamped down hard on the thoughts of doubt and squashed them out. It was ridiculous to think about, the Republic being to blame. The Republic was perfect. The Republic was right and good. The Republic had created him.

To think they were anything less than he'd been taught was ridiculous.

* * *

 **Now**

A hundred levels below the surface of Coruscant, Rex stood in a decrepit old building. The walls were peeling, the floors were water damaged from burst pipes, and the various vermin that usually occupied the building peered out at Rex from their cracks in the wall.

Rex lifted one hand to the wall and closed his eyes. He let the familiar calm of the Force flow across his body. Let the words of Ahsoka creep in under his skin and whisper in his ears.

" _The Force relies on peace and tranquility. Anger can taint your focus. Fear destroys it,"_ she had said. _"Just breathe deeply, and_ focus. _"_

Rex felt for the crack in the wall. Felt for the hidden panel and the treasure behind it. He flicked his wrist and the panel lifted off the wall seamlessly. Behind it was a small, thick rucksack. Even at this distance, he could feel the power pulsating in that little black bag.

Rex grabbed the bag and chanced looking inside. The holocron he'd stolen stared back at him. Rex nodded and closed the bag, tying it to his waist. His hands shook as he did. He forced himself to take a deep breath and relax. His shoulders vibrated as he breathed. He pushed his fear and anxiety into the Force. Felt it leak out of his lungs and into the air, where it disappeared.

When the world was calm again, he opened his eyes. Nothing had blown up. No one was there. He nodded to himself again and licked his lips. This was it, the moment of truth.

Rex turned and left the building, entering the streets again. He kept one hand close to the bag to ensure no one would steal it from him.

The building had been on a side street just off from a street market. Rex headed back to the market without hesitation.

As he pressed through the people on the market – hand still on the bag – he kept an eye out on the travelling merchants and their carts. Then, when the tender of one wasn't looking, he filched a cloak from the cart, and tossed it over his shoulders. Flicking the hood up, Rex ducked his head. Now there was no chance of being recognized at a glance.

That done, Rex headed for the shipping yard, where the various cargo ships would be waiting for their captains.

It only took a few minutes to get there, and Rex lucked out in not finding any more soldiers along the way. He thought the cloak helped quite a bit, considering most people didn't even look at him anymore. He wondered if, before, any civilians had thought to tell the troopers they'd came across about the strange blond one without any armour.

It would explain why they had been able to find him over and over again.

Down in the shipping yard, freight ships were loading up for their trips. Shouts of workers echoed in the area, the dozens of voices mixing together into an incomprehensible cloud of noise. Rex entered the cloud gratefully, keeping his head low and his little rucksack hidden.

He dodged workers and patrons alike. Some were there to bribe their way onto ships. Some were there to sneak their way on. Rex had a much more effective idea planned out. He only hoped it would hold until he got where he was going.

Rex aimed for _The Battersea_ , a big cargo ship mainly meant for delivering medical supplies and standard rations. He knew there were only two locations _The Battersea_ went when full of medical supplies, and judging by the look of those loading the ship and checking supplies, it was headed for where he needed.

Slipping between the various cargo haulers, Rex headed for the manual entrance to the cargo hold. The cargo hold of the ship was almost full now, so no one would check the back.

As he popped the entrance, Rex heard a cough behind him. He turned to find the captain of _The Battersea_ scowling at him with folded arms. The captain was a big man – both broader and taller than Rex – with greying hair, a scar over one unseeing eye, and an air about him that said he wouldn't think twice about punting Rex over the edge of the loading bay.

Rex swallowed hard and reached deep down inside himself. He faced the captain with squared shoulders and a relaxed face. The fear he felt tapered off and expelled itself into the air, vanishing into the Force.

"What are you doing?" asked the captain. His voice was a rough as his face.

"You will let me on the ship," said Rex. His fingers lifted and flitted in front of the captain's face. Rex forced every ounce of echoing authority he had into his voice, even as the echo pulled half of that authority into the Force.

The captain blinked hard and rubbed his face. "I will let you on this ship," he muttered, sounding confused.

"You will forget you ever saw me," said Rex. He felt his knees start to buckle. His vision spotted. His stomach clenched and churned.

"I never saw you," muttered the captain.

"You will go back to ordering your men," said Rex. He felt the bile rise in his throat even as he spoke. The captain nodded, turned, and left. Rex sighed, his entire body going limp. He grabbed for the side of the ship to hold himself up.

None of the Jedi ever told him how exhausting this Force stuff was. None had even hinted at it. Between the jumps and the silence and the commands, Rex could scarcely see two feet in front of him. Every inch of him was screaming for rest.

Rex used the last of his energy to climb into the back of the cargo hold. Then, with weak knees, he collapsed amidst the bags of rations and passed out.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Again, if you liked this chapter, please consider leaving a review. And please let me know what you think of the new format. I'll update all chapters if this is preferred!


	6. Chapter 6: Reflect

**Author's Note:** Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! Here's chapter six, with the popular new format. Thank you so much for all the reviews last chapter! They made my week. You guys are incredible readers, and I can only hope my story keeps you all interested.

We're starting to get into the story behind Rex's powers, and I'm hoping it's as interesting as I think it is. This and the next two chapters are easily some of my favourite parts of the first half of the story.

Cheers! And please leave a review if you like it!

* * *

 **Chapter Six: Reflect**

 _Rex_

 **Now**

Rex woke sometime later, tucked amidst the various boxes in the cargo hold. His left shoulder ached from the odd angle he'd slept in and the cargo hold was dark enough he had to let his eyes adjust.

Bit by bit, the cargo hold came into view. He was surrounded by crates, which were stacked up all around him. Most were roughly the same size, and they were decently heavy-looking. He wasn't sure what was in them. Some were obviously medical supplies, based on his scouting and his destination, but he knew they couldn't all be by the size of the cargo.

He glanced up to see how many more crates were around, and if any guards were nearby. The roof of the cargo hold loomed above him, maybe three times his height. But there were no guards and no balconies. He nodded.

Rex sat up properly, rubbing his shoulder and grimacing.

He'd gotten lucky. No one had checked the cargo hold for him. Or else, no one had found him. Rex frowned. Wondered, briefly, if his abilities in the Force could change his luck. He shook it off. There was no way to know, not without talking to a Jedi, and he was fresh out.

Rex climbed onto one of the crates and sat down hard, running his hand over the label. In the dark, he couldn't make out the words. It didn't really matter what was in the boxes, however. He knew where he was going. He knew how dangerous it was.

* * *

 **Then**

From the moment the ship touched down on the planet, Rex could feel a headache building behind his eyes. The world was swimming in patterns in the sand and patterns in the wind that he could only make out from the corner of his eye. The heat was a blanket, barring down on him and his men. It pressed deep beneath their armor, tearing into their skin and leaving blisters at the joints.

Rex wasn't the only one suffering. A dozen men had already been taken to the medical bay of the ship. Kix wasn't allowed outside the climate controlled ship in fear of him becoming sick as well. Half the 501st had headaches, and half of those again had acute migraines. He imagined at least a few of them would be vomiting before the day was out.

They drank water like they were dying. They leaned in the shadows and swayed in the heat. They weren't at their top, and it wasn't just from the heat. There was something _wrong_ about this planet. Something that made Rex want to claw out his own brain to make it stop _itching._

"How you doing, Rex?" asked Ahsoka, walking up to him. She rubbed at one of her montrails. Grimaced from a headache of her own. Rex saw her shove the pain into the back of her mind with a single shake of her head.

"Honest answer or the reassuring one?" asked Rex, only half joking. He wasn't sure how much longer he'd last on this planet. Wasn't sure what all it had in store for him. They were here to take down an exclusive factory, one creating a new kind of droid that had already decimated entire battalions. And there weren't enough survivors to get a good idea of what these droids were capable of.

Ahsoka offered him a weak smile. "Yeah," she said. "I'm about the same." She sat down on the rock Rex was resting on. Let her head fall forward and her eyes close. She stayed there a moment. Then, head coming up, she nodded toward the two approaching generals.

"Rex, Ahsoka," said General Skywalker. "We've come up with a plan."

"One that won't be involving most of our men," said General Kenobi.

Ahsoka frowned, mirroring Rex's thoughts. "What are we going to do?" she asked.

General Skywalker was grinning. Almost bouncing on his heels from how giddy he was. He was weirdly energetic in the wake of the oddness of this planet. It left a pit in Rex's stomach. Nothing Skywalker got giddy over was easy. Or safe. Or even allowed by the Senate. This was either going to be very, very good, or very, very dangerous. Probably both.

"We're going to use an old Force tactic that was mostly lost to the Sith," said General Skywalker.

Ahsoka's eyes went wide. "And that will work?"

"It should." Skywalker gestured to the air around them. "Look around, Ahsoka. _Feel_ the energy of this planet. This might be the most Force sensitive planet I've ever been on." He paused. "Except for Mortis, of course." Then Skywalker was grinning again. Apparently the energy of the Force was making him perky while it dragged everyone else into the dirt.

Rex didn't recognize the name of the planet Mortis. He figured it was a mission Skywalker had been on without the 501st. He resisted the urge to frown – not pout, soldiers did not _pout_ – how many missions had Skywalker been on without backup?

"What Anakin means is that we'll be using the Astral Force technique, a more elegant, less dangerous, form of the similar Sith technique," said General Kenobi. He gestured to Rex and Ahsoka. "Come along. We're setting up now." Kenobi didn't appear to be affected at all by the planet, and Rex couldn't decide if that was better or worse than what it was doing to Skywalker.

Rex and Ahsoka glanced to one another. Then, standing slowly, they followed the generals across the impromptu camp.

* * *

 **Now**

Rex stared up at the ceiling of the cargo hold. His head was swimming with memories of past battles and present techniques. His mind kept wandering, unable to latch on to a single moment in time and hold it. Even now, after hours of rest, his extensive use of the Force still had him exhausted and shaky. He didn't dare stand, in case his legs gave out as well. He grimaced, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

Then another. Then another. He sat up straight, placed his hands on his knees, and took another deep, even breath. But try as he might, couldn't let go of his exhaustion. Couldn't let his mind sink into the Force and open him up to the galaxy around him.

Rex opened his eyes and slumped forward. A sigh drifted past his lips.

This wasn't good. He needed to relax. To breathe. To be able to think. He was running out of time.

* * *

 **Then**

Ahsoka, General Skywalker, and General Kenobi sat in a semi-circle around a candle. A series of other candles were set in a circle around them several feet back from where they sat. They breathed deeply, their hands clasped together. Each exhale rose the flames a little higher in the air; each inhale drew the flames back to their wicks.

"Nicely done, gentlemen," said General Kenobi, opening his eyes. "But we're still missing something."

Rex's gaze went to the missing spot of their circle. To the way Ahsoka and General Skywalker each had a free hand.

"Captain, take a seat," said General Kenobi. Rex blinked.

"Sir?" he asked.

General Skywalker grinned. He gestured with his free hand to the spot between himself and Ahsoka. "Take a seat. And take off your helmet."

"I'm not Force sensitive," said Rex. The words were heavy in his mouth. What were they doing? He was just a trooper. Did they really trust him so much?

General Kenobi smiled warmly. "You don't have to be for this. Not with Anakin here."

Shakily, Rex removed his helmet and sat down to complete the circle. He mimicked the positions of the others, with crossed legs, a straight back, and relaxed shoulders. He was reminded of the meditation pose Ahsoka had tried to teach him once. It seemed to be about the same thing.

"Take off your gloves," said General Skywalker. Rex removed them, bit by bit, and rested them next to his helmet, on the other side of the candle circle. Then, copying the actions of General Skywalker and Ahsoka, he took their hands, rested them just beyond his knees, and waited.

"Now, this is going to feel a little… funny," said General Skywalker. "You're not naturally Force-sensitive, so what I'm going to do is use my own sensitivity to draw you into the circle."

Rex frowned. He was already in the circle, wasn't he? But he said nothing. He knew nothing of the Force or of Jedi beyond the battle field. It would be wrong of him to argue.

General Skywalker took a few deep breaths, closing his eyes. On his third breath, Rex felt his chest expand without breathing. On the fourth, he felt a tickle in his brain. On the fifth, his mind exploded into sounds and colours and smells, only to immediately dim back to an odd sense of calm.

He breathed deeply, only now aware that he was mimicking General Skywalker's own breathing. He blinked hard. Found that he _felt_ more than saw the three Jedi around him. The dark, roiling storm of General Skywalker to his right. The sugary-sweet electricity of Ahsoka to his left. And the silky, if stretched thin, musk of General Kenobi. The feelings rested in the back of his mind and on his tongue. He swallowed hard but they did not vanish.

"That's…" He fell short. "Incredible."

Ahsoka grinned, and it was a feeling that tugged at the corners of his own lips. Her laughter echoed around his mind, encasing his thoughts in happiness and an eager, giddy energy.

"Ready for the next part?" asked Ahsoka.

Rex's eyes went wide. "There's _more_?" he asked, and he found his words echoed in the small circle. Bouncing between them as he spoke.

General Skywalker smirked. Ahsoka grinned. General Kenobi sighed.

"Everyone ready?" asked General Skywalker. The other Jedi nodded. "On three."

"One," said Ahsoka.

"Two," said General Skywalker.

"Three," breathed General Kenobi.

And, quite abruptly, Rex was no longer in his body.

* * *

 **Now**

Rex stood, no longer able to hold himself still despite the weakness in his knees. He worked his way across the cargo hold, feeling around when he couldn't see. Part of him wanted to see what was in those boxes, and seeing as his instincts typically steered him right, he wasn't about to brush off the thought.

A few minutes of searching brought Rex to a crate with a loose top. He jammed his fingers into the gap and tried to pry off the lid. He pulled and pulled, but no amount of force would knock it loose.

"Damn it," muttered Rex, backing off from the crate. He rubbed his hands together to work out the cramps in his fingers. He debated using the Force, but didn't want to risk knocking himself out again. Besides, he wouldn't even know where to start.

"Gotta be something I can use," he said. He looked around, peering across crates and pushing a few aside to see what was in corners. He searched from the front to the back of the cargo hold, scarcely making a sound the entire time.

Down in the bowels of the ship like this, Rex could hear the steady hum of the engines, the heavy whirring of the fans, and the clung-clung of the ship's pipes. The cargo hold probably used to be half maintenance tunnels. They'd just torn out the tunnels to get more space. Handy, if a little dangerous.

Rex circled back through the crates and looked for the entrance to the cargo hold. It took several minutes of slowly making his way through the stacks upon stacks of crates, but he found where he'd come in. Sure enough, hanging next to the door was a series of crowbars, pry bars, and something that looked like an old hacksaw. He chose to ignore the last one and picked up a crow bar.

Time to find out what was in those boxes.

* * *

 **Then**

Rex stared for a long moment down at his physical body, still meditating with the Jedi. He could feel himself floating, half in his body and half where he was now. Translucent and without his armour, instead in what he believed where Jedi robes, he stood next to his body.

He swallowed hard. Felt himself wobble.

"It's best not to think about it," said Ahsoka. She pressed her own translucent hand onto his shoulder. She was older like this, her Padawan braid gone and her montrails larger. He was glad he wasn't the only one to look different.

Behind him, General Skywalker and General Kenobi stood. Skywalker was grinning like a fool. Kenobi looked mildly concerned.

Well, Rex thought, at least that never changed.

But what surprised him was that Skywalker's outfit was grey instead of black, and General Kenobi's was grey as well. The dichotomy of their colourings – black versus white and so forth – had been a constant as long as Rex had known them. Seeing them like, their colours similar if still slightly skewed toward their originals, was a bit boggling.

"What happened?" asked Rex.

Skywalker shrugged. "This is astral form technique – one of the most advanced things a Jedi can do." He paused. "Don't… tell anyone."

"I won't, sir," said Rex. "I don't think anyone would believe me."

Ahsoka giggled, a sound that floated between Rex's ears as more of a thought than as anything else. He could have wrapped himself up in that laugh, used it to vanquish all worried thoughts. All the thoughts that had appeared since Umbara. Since Dogma. Since Krell.

The Jedi were looking at him funny. Rex squashed those thoughts to the corner of his mind and locked them away. In a link that was as much mental as physical, he had to keep his calm. Even if he didn't understand anything that was going on. There was no time for doubts or fear.

"So, now what?" asked Rex.

Ahsoka pointed to the droid factory, perfectly visible in this astral form. It loomed on a hill, impossibly far away and close up all at once. Rex could feel his mind reaching out toward it. Could feel the power of it just beneath the surface of his skin. And in that skin he also felt a roiling nausea and a pulsating migraine.

"Try not to think about your body," said General Skywalker. "You're probably going to need a few days' rest after this." Rex nodded, feeling himself drift away from his physical form again.

Then, Ahsoka took his hand and led him forward. Together, the four headed toward the droid factory. Ghosts in the morning fog.

* * *

 **Now**

The first stab into the crate was impossibly loud and echoing. Rex hoped at least half of that noise was in his imagination, but he doubted it. The fog around his head was lifting, and he still wasn't sure if it had come from his nap or from his Force abilities. There was still so much he didn't know, but now wasn't the time to think about that.

Rex stabbed the crow bar into the crate again, using the crate itself as leverage to lift the lid. A few well-placed pushes had the crate lid lifting up from the crate itself. Rex set the crow bar aside – careful of the noise – and picked up the lid. He rested it against the side of the crate.

Inside, the crate was filled with scrap metal – most of it fastened into tubes of varying lengths – a few other bits of metal, some lights, and some other things Rex didn't recognize. He lifted a tube out of the crate and rolled it over in his hands. It was about two and half times as long as his hand. And he could comfortably wrap his hand around it, his fingers touching his thumb when he did so. He hefted it a few times, pleasantly surprised by the impossible lightness of the tube.

"What are these?" he whispered, but of course, no one answered. Rex set down the tube and picked the crow bar up again.

Three more crates held scrap metal, though only the one was tubes, and a fourth held rucksacks. Rex picked up the loose cloth bag and eyed it warily. Then, his gaze went to the other open crates. He pulled the rucksack over his head and rested it on one shoulder, letting the bag sit just below his shoulder blade on one side of his back.

Then, he headed back to the first crate, picked up half a dozen of the odd tubes, and tucked them into his bag.

While he was digging, the sounds above him grew louder. Rex kept one ear on them, but also let his other senses – those most didn't have – keep an eye out for him as well. He leaked thin tendrils into the Force and let them spread around the cargo hold, both testing his reach and his stamina. He kept the tendrils very light, however. He didn't want to chance knocking himself out again.

The ship lurched. Rex yanked back the tendrils in panic and quickly snapped the lids back on the crates. He hesitated, crow bar in his hand. Half of him wanted to throw it, see if he could make it land properly. The other half realized his mind was still too skittish to try such a thing. He darted over, hung up the crow bar, and ducked behind a tall stack of crates.

A minute later, the ship touched down.

Rex held his breath as the cargo hold opened. Kept his breathing silent and shallow and his mind calm as the workers unloaded some – but not all – of the supplies. They were only unloading the medical supplies. The scrap would stay.

Then, when they were done, Rex shoved his cloak into his bag, yanked on a hat he'd found in his searching, and ducked out of the ship and onto the loading bay.

He'd made it to Kamino.


	7. Chapter 7: Bleed

**Author's Note:** This is officially one of my favourite chapters so far. Hopefully you'll see why. Thank you to everyone who reviewed! It really means a lot!

If you like, please leave a review. Especially since we're getting into some really cool stuff now, and I'd love the feedback!

* * *

 **Chapter Seven: Bleed**

 _Rex_

 **Now**

The hustle and bustle of the loading bay kept Rex from being easy to spot for all of two minutes. In those two minutes, he managed to get off the ship and creep around to the medical access tunnels of the main port. He'd remembered these from his time as a kid. They were slim tunnels, wide enough for a repulsor gurney with about a foot of clearance on either side, built into the edges of the dock and running back to the medical bay.

He'd run around in them as a kid with Cody – back when they were both still numbers. Back when they were idealistic kids convinced they were going to save the Republic. Rex fought the urge to snort at the thought, just in case someone else was walking the tunnel.

They hadn't saved the Republic. In fact, he and his brothers – and Force, why was he still calling them that? He had no right – might have been about to make the war a lot more one-sided. He grimaced. And not in favour of the Republic, either.

The end of the tunnel loomed and Rex swallowed hard. His clothes were army regulation. His hat hid one of the two distinguishing marks he had – his hair. So long as he kept his eyes down, he hoped no one would notice those either. And there were plenty of places to store his bag. But still, Rex could feel the terror creeping up his throat. Could feel the way it tugged across his skin and pooled in his belly, leaving his blood cold and sluggish in his veins.

Rex slipped out of the tunnel and hugged the wall. The medical area was busy and he needed to keep his bag out of sight. He reached up to one of the wall vents and put the bag in there, careful to check that his second, smaller bag – the one with the holocron in it – was safely inside.

Satisfied that it was, Rex took a deep breath, let his anxiety flow into the Force as best he could, and walked through the medical bay.

* * *

 **Then**

The noise from the explosions echoed off the walls. Rex's ears rang from the chaotic symphony of noise that blew both through his coms and from outside his helmet. His head spun. His vision warped. He was on a battle field. No. A street of a city. How? He'd been in a building only moments before.

And why was everything sideways and red-tinted?

He reached out, finally finding his limbs. Found that he was laying on his side. Slowly, he pushed himself to his feet. The world spun sideways and went out of focus. Rex swayed. Stumbled forward. Caught a speeder by the door and hung on tight as the world start whirling around him in a mess of colours and lights.

Sudden heat to his left. Rex slammed into the side of the speeder. Another explosion. His ears rang. He looked around. The ringing blocked out all other things.

What was going on?

In the distance, he saw a figure all in white running up to him.

Rex stared at the figure, unable to find why they looked familiar. The figure was shouting. Rex couldn't hear him.

Then the figure was blasted off his feet by a great fireball and Rex couldn't see him anymore.

* * *

 **Now**

Rex made his way through the hallways quickly, keeping his gaze down and avoiding the barracks. He couldn't steal armour – that would look really conspicuous – but his outfit had yet to garner any attention. Most assumed he was janitorial staff or the like.

He headed as quickly as possible to the mainframe of Kamino – the hub of all information about clones, their origins, and what went on in their heads. If Fives had been right – he _had_ to, he had to – then there was something big going on. A conspiracy about the chips, about the war, about their true purpose.

And as much as he knew the chips had something to do with Fives and Tup's deaths, he still didn't know why. Nor did he know why Fives was convinced the Kaminoans – and the Separatists – could control them. But he believed Fives. Now he just needed the proof.

And he did know Nala Se had conspired to get Fives killed for what Fives had found out. He did know the Chancellor had known something, but not how much. Was the Chancellor a victim, just like the clones?

And he did know the clones had been created for a nefarious purpose, but he didn't know _what_ or _why_ or even _how._ Just that that purpose had gotten a Jedi killed when it was revealed too soon. The Force said his feelings were true. The Force said to keep looking.

Or was it his own instincts? He couldn't tell them apart anymore. Wasn't sure how much of him was still him and how much was changing as he was absorbed into something he didn't understand.

Rex turned down another hallway. A few brothers – _clones_ , _men,_ _soldiers,_ not brothers – looked up at him as he passed. They were chatting about some girl they'd never met and bragging about breasts they'd never seen.

"Aren't you supposed to be with medical?" asked one of the rookies.

Another shoved him. "Forty-six, don't say that. He outranks us!" Not anymore he didn't, thought Rex.

"I need to speak with the General Ti," said Rex, keeping his eyes averted.

"She's down there," said one. He jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

"Are you all right?" asked another. "Your eyes are weirdly pale."

Rex tugged the brim of his hat down. "Fine," he said gruffly. "I need to keep moving." He pushed passed the men without so much as a nod and kept going.

"He seemed rude," said one of the men, snorting.

"Shut up," said another.

Rex grimaced and kept walking. He went down three more hallways and then ducked into an alcove to avoid another conversation. Then he turned down another hallway and finally reached the mainframe room.

No problems yet. It was almost too good to be true.

Then, "Captain Rex?"

* * *

 **Then**

A hand caught his arm as Rex slipped off the speeder and hauled him to his feet with surprising ease. Rex turned his head and caught a glimpse of orange skin and blue eyes. _Ahsoka_.

"What happened?" he managed. His voice was garbled and faint. Half muffled by the ringing in his own ears. Ahsoka frowned at him.

Beside her, General Skywalker squinted at where the figure in white had disappeared. Then he sprinted forward and took off to where the figure had probably been thrown.

"We need to get you out of the streets," said Ahsoka. She threw his arm over her shoulder and half dragged him toward a covered awning.

Rex blinked hard a few times. His head was too foggy. He could scarcely think. And his ears. They just would not stop ringing. He couldn't think over the ringing.

The feeling in his body returned as Ahsoka dragged him under the awning. Already, the bruising was evident. He could feel where he'd hit the ground. No broken bones. But, there was a deep gash across his leg where his armour had splintered.

How had he fallen to shatter his armour but not his body? It made no sense.

General Skywalker reappeared. The suddenness of it made Rex want to jump, but he found he didn't have the energy to do so. He had General Kenobi on his back. And Rex realized, somewhere beyond the ringing in his ears, that Kenobi had been the figure in white.

"How're you holding up, Rex?" asked General Skywalker.

Rex blinked. "Is General Kenobi okay?" he asked. Or he tried to. Only half the words came out coherently.

Skywalker understood him anyway. "Yeah, he's already healing." He sighed heavily. "I've got bad news, though."

"What?" asked Ahsoka.

Skywalker shook his head. "All the troopers died when those two explosions hit – I can't pick up any life signatures in all this."

Behind them, plasma fire rained down into the streets. The droids were looking for survivors to mop up after. Rex swallowed hard. Registered the words.

"I'm alone." His words echoed hollowly between them.

"Rex…" Skywalker frowned. "How did you survive?"

"Sir?" asked Rex. He furrowed his brow.

"Rex you fell over a hundred feet onto the ground. You should be dead – or at least have broken bones and internal bleeding," said Skywalker. His gaze went to the gash in Rex's leg. Faintly, Rex was aware that his leg was getting wetter. That behind the ringing in his ears and the scream of the plasma fire, his head was clouding over. His fingers growing numb.

"I don't understand," said Rex. And he didn't. He didn't have any memory of the first explosion. Or of the fall. He'd come to on the ground. Not knowing where he was or what had happened.

But Ahsoka and General Skywalker were staring at him like there was something wrong with him.

"We'll figure this out later," said Skywalker suddenly. He shifted Kenobi on his back. "We need to get out of here."

* * *

 **Now**

Rex turned around slowly. Feigned ignorance despite knowing he was probably doomed. He knew that voice.

Sure enough, General Shaak Ti stood across from him – lingering in the hallway while Rex stood at the entrance to the mainframe.

"What are you doing here?" asked General Shaak Ti. "I thought you were stationed on Naboo." Rex did a quick recap of his last assignments. Naboo had been just before he'd been arrested. The 501st was still being moved back and forth from Coruscant to the planet, what with Senator Amidala painting a huge target on her back.

Could General Shaak Ti really not know he was supposed to be executed a day before?

He swallowed. Squared his shoulders. Ran with it.

"Apologies sir," he said, careful to look beyond her shoulder and keep his hat brim down. "General Skywalker sent me to speak with Lama Su." He flashed a quietly reassuring smile to the general. He'd worn the look a lot as a kid whenever he was getting in trouble. "I didn't realize he hadn't spoken with you, sir."

General Shaak Ti lifted her brow as though raising a single, non-existent eyebrow. "I see." She didn't believe him. Rex didn't need the Force to tell him that.

"I suppose it has nothing to do with… _this_." As he finished speaking, Rex felt her reach out toward him without physically reaching at all. She wrapped a mental hand around his Force abilities and _clenched_. Rex gasped and dropped to one knee. The sudden pain and loss blinding him to all but the floor.

And just as abruptly as it started, it was gone. Rex blinked as everything rushed in to him. He became acutely aware of the temperature of the room. Aware that there was a single figure in the back of the mainframe room. Aware that there were hundreds of men above him.

Aware that General Shaak Ti could feel every ounce of Force sensitivity in his body. Aware that he could feel hers. She wasn't as strong as General Skywalker, nor as intensive as General Kenobi, nor as electric as Ahsoka. But she had her own taste – something milky and maternal, mixed with the cinnamon musk of clone troopers. She felt like _home_. More than anything else surrounding the two.

He saw General Shaak Ti's eyes go wide. Realized he was probably projecting his emotions into the Force for her to feel. He clamped them down.

She smiled, warm. "You're looking for information about your Force abilities," she said.

"Yes, sir, apologies for lying," said Rex. And it wasn't quite a lie. He _was_ curious. It simply wasn't what he was after here.

"You'll find information on Force sensitive clones in the mainframe, Rex," she said slowly. "But if you truly want to know what you're capable of, I would suggest speaking with me. I have worked with clones since their conception."

Rex bit the inside of his cheek. Tried not to give himself away but the hope bubbling in his chest was too strong to ignore. "There have been others?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, not like you." Rex deflated. "But there have been men with premonitions, men with an acute sense of danger. Similar, but not nearly as extensive as you." She frowned, but the look was more thoughtful than anything else. "I must admit, I'm curious."

"If I may, General, I'd be happy to talk to you after I check the mainframe." Another not-quite lie. He'd probably talk to her at some point. Assuming he wasn't gunned down trying to leave.

"Of course," said General Shaak Ti. She gestured to the mainframe room. "Please, feel free." A pause and then. "And it's Master."

Rex blinked. "Pardon?"

"If you're a Jedi, then it's Master Shaak Ti, not General," she said, smiling. Rex blinked again, then returned her smile.

"Of course, Master," he said, bowing his head respectfully. Then he turned and headed into the room, but was stopped by one last statement.

"Oh and Rex?" Rex paused and looked over his shoulder. "I like your eyes. They suit you." Rex broke into a grin he couldn't quite hide and ducked into the mainframe room. The door slid shut behind him. He tried to ignore how final the sound felt in his heart.

* * *

 **Then**

The ship was destroyed. His men were dead. Rex was alone with three Jedi – one unconscious and two more that wouldn't stop looking at him like he might explode at any given moment. His ears wouldn't stop ringing. And every moment he grew fainter and fainter from blood that wouldn't stop no matter what they tried.

Add in being trapped in an active war zone with plasma fire trying to turn him into a pincushion, and Rex thought this might be the worst day of his life.

And that alone – those snarling thoughts of self-pity – took most of the energy out of him in one go.

He slumped against a wall in an alleyway. Skywalker was still carrying an unconscious Kenobi. Ahsoka was sticking close to him, just in case he fell or passed out. Not fainted. Soldiers didn't _faint_.

"We need a ship," said Ahsoka.

"Obviously," muttered Skywalker.

Ahsoka shot a look at him. "Well maybe I wouldn't have to state the obvious if you were helping."

"Well maybe I'd help if you weren't always running off ahead," said Skywalker.

"Well maybe-"

Rex groaned. "Can we please do this later?" he asked. "When I have the energy to walk away from you two?" His voice was faint and rough. His throat scratched raw from the dust of the explosions. Above them, the droid ships circled. Rex flattened himself against a wall as best as he could. Felt the cracked edges of his helmet scrape his head.

He yanked off his helmet and tossed it aside. With those left so close, it was useless anyway.

"We need to make a run for it," said Skywalker. "The loading bay has a couple ships the droids came in on. If we can grab one, we can raise the shields, hail the fleet, and get out of here in one piece."

Rex looked out beyond the alley to the war zone of the streets. B1s marched, carrying their standard blasters. Every now and again one would set off one of the land mines beneath the streets. The same landmines that had knocked General Kenobi out and caused the ringing in Rex's ears.

Above them, personal droid ships fired plasma at random into the bodies of Rex's fallen brothers. Other plasma fire ripped debris from the buildings, raining it down into the streets to create an obstacle course of sheetrock.

Another explosion. Far enough out that it didn't hurt Rex's ears. He flinched all the same at the noise and the cloud. Debris must have fallen onto a land mine.

"There's no way we'll make it," said Ahsoka. "Neither one of us has the hands to fight, Master. What are we supposed to do?"

General Skywalker bit his lip, worrying it until Rex wasn't sure if it was actually bleeding or if he was hallucinating from blood loss.

He slid a little farther down the wall of the alleyway. Blinked hard but found his vision only focused for a few seconds at a time.

He wobbled. Grimaced. _Kriff_. This wasn't good.

General Skywalker's eyes were glowing. Now Rex was _definitely_ hallucinating. But when he turned his head, Ahsoka's were as well. They raised their hands in unison. Stepped forward and _pushed_. Rex felt it. Like a ripple in the back of his mind. He felt it.

The droids dropped.

Ahsoka shouldered Rex's arm. Skywalker picked Kenobi back up. Then they were off and running. Rex did his best to keep up. But his vision wouldn't focus. Nothing would focus. He stumbled, took a knee. Pain ripped through his body.

" _Kriff_ ," he hissed.

Ahsoka pulled him to his feet. She was saying something. Rex could see her mouth moving out of the corner of his eye but couldn't hear her. The ringing had returned. So had the plasma fire.

Sudden pain in his shoulder. Rex hit the ground. Heard a faraway shout. Saw lightsabers draw.

He blinked. The world slowed.

He blinked. He could feel the energy around Ahsoka. The crackle of electricity he'd seen back when they'd performed the astral form ritual.

He blinked. He was back. One piece. One mind. No other senses.

His vision went red. His head slammed into the street.

The world screamed around him as he faded into oblivion.

* * *

 **Now**

Rex tapped away at the computer terminal, scanning it for information on Fives and what had happened with the chips. It didn't take him long to find the information he was looking for. It wasn't even password locked.

Looking back, Rex realized Gen – _Master_ Shaak Ti had probably unlocked the door for him. Clones weren't allowed in here.

But then, he was no ordinary clone.

Rex scanned the information on the chips Fives had spoken of. As he read, his eyes grew wider and wider. Things like _trigger phrase_ , _emotional stunting_ , and _mind control_ stood out to him. The words blurred together until Rex slammed a hand on the keyboard. Tears dropped onto his hands.

It wasn't the computer blurring. It was his eyes. He bit his lip to keep it from trembling.

Fives had been right. The chips were controlling them.

Rex felt his stomach lurch. Felt the world tilt. He grabbed hard onto the console and took a deep, shuddering breath.

He couldn't lose it. Not yet. He needed to find out what had happened to Dogma. To Slick. To any others who had dared speak against the Republic or else look for the truth. When he knew that, he could leave. Get his bag. Go back to the ship.

Cry.

Rex swallowed hard against the nausea. Let his breath catch and then swirl around the lump in his throat. Rubbed his eyes to clear the tears. He started typing again.

His hands froze when the next file came up. A video file. Dogma tied to a chair. A Kaminoan interrogating him.

" _What do you know about the chips?"_ the Kaminoan hissed.

" _Nothing, I swear,"_ said Dogma. There were tear tracks on his face. His pants were damp – Rex wasn't sure from sweat or something else entirely. A bounty hunter stood to the side with various tools on his belt.

" _Please,"_ begged Dogma. _"I was only doing what I thought was right._ "

The Kaminoan gave something that could have been a smile. They looked at the bounty hunter. " _Do your worst."_

Rex watched only a few more seconds. Dogma's screams filled the room around him. He scrambled to shut off the footage. Cold sweat broke out across his face. He panted hard, breathing hard through his nose to keep himself from vomiting.

He was almost scared to look for Slick's death footage.

But he did. And then he found dozens more videos.

Men who had found out about the chips. Men who'd attacked Kaminoans because of trauma. Men who'd dared to question the Chancellor. Each killed the in same gruesome manner as Dogma. Their screams surrounded Rex. Coating him until he knew nothing else but the dying, tortured sounds of his brothers.

And then, when Rex thought he was so absorbed he couldn't sense anything else, he sensed a figure behind him.

With shaking hands, he shut off the footage, and turned around. It was Lama Su.

The Kaminoan eyed him carefully. Then, "You realize, I cannot let you leave, knowing this."

Rex saw the men in the videos die over and over in his mind's eye. He saw Fives die in his arms, begging for freedom from the nightmares. Saw Tup come out of his trance and look horrified when he realized he'd killed a Jedi. Saw dozens, hundreds, _thousands_ , of men fall for a war that maybe meant nothing at all. Then he saw red.

With a scream that was more animal than man, Rex lunged himself at Lama Su. Wrapped his hands around the Kaminoan's neck and drove him to the ground. Lama Su tried to shout, but Rex wouldn't let him. He yanked one hand off the Kaminoan's throat and slammed it into Lama Su's face. Over and over, Rex slammed his fist into Lama Su's face. He punched and screamed and roared. Let his ragged nails tear the flesh from around Lama Su's eyes. Let the blood splatter his face and coat his tongue.

And when Lama Su was no longer recognizable; when Lama Su lay dead in a pool of his own blood, Rex reached into the Kaminoan's pocket, pulled out the small knife all Kaminoan's carried, and stood. He touched his fingers to the blood on his clothes, painted the blood like war paint beneath his eyes.

Then he turned and walked back toward the door. Knife in one hand and murder in his heart.

He had work to do.


	8. Chapter 8: Decipher

**Author's Note:** Wow that's a lot of feedback. Thank you so much guys! This chapter might be my favourite in terms of style so far - we're really taking advantage of the Now/Then format.

If you like the chapter, please leave a review! They really make my day.

* * *

 **Chapter Eight: Decipher**

 _Rex_

 **Now**

The shriek of a heartrate monitor forced Rex's mind to conscious ground. His body swam in sleep and pain. Half under and half-awake even as he struggled for consciousness. Faintly, he could feel something on his left arm. But the other was numb.

He tried to open his eyes. Found that he couldn't. Tried to move. Found more things pressing against his body. The world was dark and swimming. It spun and spun until he was certain he'd vomit.

Wasn't sure if he did. Could only smell the sharp stink of the medical bay.

Voices above him. Light beyond his eyelids.

But nothing would solidify. He drifted back under.

* * *

 **Then**

Ahsoka and Rex spoke to every underground local they could find, but none knew if the woman was innocent. It had been three days since the preliminary trial. Since the woman had begged for her life and Rex and Ahsoka had stood, watching, in the background. Three days since Ahsoka said she was innocent, but also said she could not prove it without Rex's help.

Tomorrow, the woman was to go to her full trial. With such heinous crimes against her, Rex didn't believe she'd go free.

After all, killing Wookiees on Kashyyyk was a very serious crime.

"Sir, may I ask you something?" asked Rex, as they trampled through the overgrown path to the next civilian.

Ahsoka looked back over her shoulder. She batted aside a large bug with a long nose – Rex didn't want to think of what it would do. "Of course," she said.

"Why were we sent to Kashyyyk?" he asked. "I was under the impression that it was Master Yoda and General Vos' territory." He ducked under a branch full of fat, water-logged leaves.

"Master Yoda is busy with the Chancellor, and Master Vos is…" Ahsoka trailed off. Rex saw her fiddle with her padawan braid. She'd been doing that more and more lately.

"Eccentric?" guessed Rex.

Ahsoka snorted. "That's one way to put it." She shook her head. Pushed a branch away without touching it. Then fell back to walk next to Rex instead of in front.

"Master Vos has dealt with a lot since the Clone Wars started," said Ahsoka. "And Master Yoda believed he could use a break."

"Can you spare a general?" asked Rex, raising an eyebrow. He was reminded, again, that he was without his armour. That every nuance of his expression was bare to Ahsoka.

She sighed. "No," she confessed. "But he needs it. Especially after running into Count Dooku."

"What happened with Count Dooku and General Vos?" asked Rex.

Ahsoka shook her head. "Not my story to tell." Then, "Come on, let's keep going."

The two continued through the jungle. After only a few minutes of silence, they came across another series of treehouses and bridges that Rex thought might be the equivalent of cities for the Kashyyyk. Small cities, of course. Maybe towns.

"We've got three places to check here," said Ahsoka. And Rex only noticed now the exhaustion painted in her eyes. The way the bags beneath them grew darker by the day.

"You need to rest," said Rex.

"After we save Shiori," said Ahsoka, firmly. "Not before."

Rex nodded. "Alright, then lead the way."

* * *

 **Now**

Blood. He tasted blood. Sharp and thick and new. Mixed with the awful old-rot smell of burned skin and destroyed corpses.

Above him, the light was sharp and burning. He did not dare open his eyes.

Was this death? Was he doomed to drift for the rest of eternity? Never waking but always wondering? Always feeling like he was being punished?

"He must be executed for his crimes." The voice was far, far away. Rex tried to focus, but the tone did not resonate. Monotonous, quiet, but a fury within.

"We cannot make a decision without the approval of the Senate," said another voice. Higher, more feminine. No fury but infinite patience.

A scoff. "The Senate ordered his execution three days ago. He escaped Coruscant on a freight ship."

"I will speak with the Council, then we will make our decision."

"The clone-"

"Captain Rex is an honoured member of the GAR, and I will not execute him on Senate orders without knowing why." The tone was final.

Rex drifted. He slipped away again.

* * *

 **Then**

Rex sat at the bar with Jesse and Kix. The three downed separate shots in unison and slammed the glasses back onto the bar. Jesse waved his hand to the bartender for another.

The door to the bar burst open. Commander Tano stood in its entrance, holding a screaming baby.

"Rex, help," she said. Rex was on his feet in an instant.

"What's going on?"

Commander Tano held out the bundle. "A woman collapsed on the street. Her daughter is watching her. She needs medical attention. So does the baby."

Rex nodded. "Kix, over here."

"Sir, with all due respect, we're not supposed to treat civilians outside of war zones," said Kix. But he stood anyway.

"Show us," said Rex.

Commander Tano led them out of the bar and into the street ledges. Out here, surrounded by other figures, Rex was struck by how small the commander was. She'd only been General Skywalker's padawan for a short while, but already she was thrown into war. And now, carrying this tiny bundle in her arms, Rex had to wonder how much her bleeding heart would suffer.

"She's over here," said Commander Tano over her shoulder. She turned into an alley.

Sure enough, a Twi'lek woman lay on the ground, a Jedi cloak pillowed under her head and a Twi'lek girl no more than five years old sitting next to her.

"Hey, sweetheart, told you I'd be back," said Commander Tano softly. She crouched next to the girl and freed one arm to pat the Twi'lek on the head. Commander Tano pulled back the hood flap of the bundle, revealing a baby Twi'lek.

"See? Your brother is fine too," she said. The little girl hugged her. Ahsoka nodded her head to Rex and Kix. "I brought a medic too, we'll fix you right up."

Kix crouched down next to the woman, pulling out tools he never went anywhere without. He didn't speak, but he worked quickly.

Commander Tano, Rex, and the little girl watched. Rex couldn't help watching Commander Tano too. Fear and determination fought for domination in her expression. The entire time Kix worked, Commander Tano didn't loosen her grip on the baby or the girl.

Rex wanted to sigh. She was just like her master. And being trained under him meant she'd never grow out of it. Knowing the rules of the Jedi, that worried him more than any battle they could throw her into.

* * *

 **Now**

A hand on his left. The right still numb. A sigh. A rustle of cloth and of a hand through hair.

"You're incredible, you know that?" Low voice. A hum that reminded Rex of a mirror. "Don't know why you did it, but you scared the shit out of us all." A sound that wasn't a chuckle but was something close – though a lot more scared – echoed in Rex's ears.

"You killed thirteen Kaminoans before they stopped you. Had to have a good reason. Heard you killed two more before they got you on Coruscant." A thumb across his knuckles.

"Maybe." Soft. Fearful but hopeful. "Maybe you can save us."

The hand disappeared. Rex drifted again.

* * *

 **Then**

Echo stood across from Rex, the trepidation written on his face as plain as the tattoo on his armour. He worried his lip, fiddled with his hands, and refused to look Rex in the eye.

"Echo, what's the problem?" asked Rex. He unfolded his arms and shifted his stance to something less defensive and more open.

"I've… come across something, sir," said Echo. His voice caught as he spoke, the words halting and then tumbling out all at once. "Something that worries me."

Rex furrowed his brow and pursed his lips. "What about?"

"Us." The words hung between them, like a hushed secret that threatened to spill out into the ship and mark them as traitors.

Rex circled around Echo and locked the door to the small office they stood within. He leaned against the door and gestured for Echo to keep his voice down.

He remembered Slick. He remembered Cut. He remembered his late night excursions with Ahsoka that would be taken wrong if he wasn't careful.

"Sir, I believe I've encountered a flaw in our design," said Echo. He swallowed hard. Fiddled with his hands again.

"A flaw," echoed Rex.

Echo nodded hurriedly. His voice was hushed and hoarse as he spoke. "There's a… murmur in our heads. Something that can pick up signals."

Rex sighed. That wasn't so bad. "Those are the chips, Echo, they're emotion regulators."

"They're kill switches," said Echo sharply.

Rex just barely caught himself from flinching. "That too," he muttered.

"Sir?" said Echo, his eyebrows raising. He'd heard Rex. Damn.

Rex sighed again and scrubbed a hand over his face. "Echo, they've only used the kill switch on one clone. Ever."

"How do we know the Kaminoans won't do it again?" asked Echo.

Rex changed the subject. "Why do you dislike the Kaminoans?"

Echo shook his head. Hugged himself and shook it harder. "I heard them once. Talking about how Fives and I didn't deserve to be ARCs. How we were anomalies that wouldn't be _tolerated_." Echo shuddered. "They want to kill us." His last words were a croak.

Taking two steps forward and grasped Echo's shoulders firmly. He found the other man's gaze. "I won't let them," he said, firmly.

"But-"

"I won't. Let them. Do that," said Rex again. "Orders or no orders. Master Yoda himself couldn't convince me to kill you. I will _die_ before I let a brother walk into a death I could prevent."

Echo nodded weakly, his lip trembling.

"And I'll look into the kill switch and the Kaminoans, all right?" said Rex. Echo said nothing. "All right?"

"Yes, sir," said Echo. He still didn't sound sure.

* * *

 **Now**

Rex opened his eyes. A clone stood next to him. When the clone turned, Rex saw the side of his head was blown out. Rex swallowed hard.

 _Echo_.

"You never found out what they were doing," said Echo. Only half his mouth moved as he spoke. The other side of his head was gone and collapsed above the lip. Rex could see right through him. "You lied to me."

No. He hadn't lied. He'd found out that the Kaminoans did think Fives and Echo were bad batchers. Found out that they were petitioning for the two to be returned to Kamino for "testing". But they'd gone to the Citadel before he could tell Echo.

Then there was the explosion. All the deaths. And Rex had never gotten the chance.

A second clone materialized on the other side of Rex. "You didn't believe me." There was a hole in the clone's chest. It vibrated as he spoke.

 _Fives._

"Because of you, I died," said Fives.

"I'm dead because of you," said Echo.

More brothers. Tup and Slick. Dogma and Hardcase. _Waxer._

They all stared down at him. All of them had their injuries. They spoke and they whispered and they screamed of his fault. It was his fault. All his fault.

More screaming. He was faintly aware that it was him. The beeping of the heartrate monitor screamed alongside him.

"Your fault. All your fault. We're dead because of you," they chanted.

"No, it's not," cried Rex. "I tried. I tried!"

He thrashed in the bed. They reached toward him. Rex screamed and tried to get away. But he had nowhere to go.

"Please," he begged with tears in his eyes. "Please, no."

"All your fault."

The door burst open. Master Ti stood in the doorway. She rushed across the room. The dead clones blocked her from Rex's sight.

 _Master Ti._

"Rex," said Master Ti. She pushed through the men. Dogma and Fives disappeared. She pressed a hand to his head. Waxer and Hardcase disappeared.

"I won't let you die. Not yet," whispered Master Ti. Slick disappeared. Echo stared down at Rex. Crusted blood dripped down his neck.

Whispers spread through Rex's mind. They were tendrils, wrapping around his mind and tugging down the dark thoughts into an abyss where Rex couldn't follow. Tup vanished.

"Not yet," said Master Ti, stroking the side of his face. His mind went blissfully calm. The world swam around him. _Not yet._

Echo stared down at him. His anger a stark contrast to Master Ti's concern. Rex's eyes fluttered close. He started to slip away.

 _I'm so sorry._

* * *

 **Then**

Rex and Ahsoka surfaced with a gasp, their harsh, shaking breaths matched one another and left puffs of fog in the air. Rex treaded water for a minute, trying to catch his breath. He watched Ahsoka, who was shaking in the water.

Oh, how he hated Ilum.

"You all right, sir?" asked Rex. Ahsoka nodded, her teeth chattering.

"L-Let's get to shore," she said. The two swam together, Rex going slowly to keep an eye on Ahsoka. If she went under, he'd be here.

The two crawled up onto the shore. Rex finally took in his surroundings. They were in a frozen cave. The river cut right through it. Based on the taste in his mouth, the river was too salty to freeze over, even on Ilum, but that didn't stop it from being kriffing cold.

"We need to get back to the surface, radio the general," said Rex aloud. Ahsoka was staring at the wall.

"Sir?" he asked. She had stopped shivering. Rex knew they were running out of time. If she'd stopped shivering, her body was no longer trying to warm itself up. And, more than that, tiny icicles were forming on the ends of her lekku.

"This is where I found my first lightsaber crystals," she said. She had the faraway tone of someone lost in memory.

Rex stood and walked over to her. Grabbed her under the shoulders and hauled Ahsoka to her feet.

"Come on, 'Soka, we've got to keep moving," he said.

Ahsoka stared over her shoulder as they watched, but let Rex lead her. "I shouldn't be able to see any," she said.

Rex frowned. "Sorry?"

"I have two lightsabers. All the sabers I need. Why can I see more crystals?" asked Ahsoka. Then, "And why are they white?"

Rex sighed. "The Force works in mysterious ways?" he guessed. "Why don't you ask the general, _after_ we save you from freezing to death?"

Ahsoka nodded, but her gaze kept flicking back as they walked on. Rex vowed to remember to ask the general if Ahsoka didn't. It must have been an oddity for it to be so important to her, even like this.

* * *

 **Now**

"Come on big guy, up and at 'em." Far away voice. Familiar in a way he couldn't place. He couldn't open his eyes. Everything felt heavy and slow.

Hands on him. Lifting him. His eyelashes fluttered. He saw a flash of white and blue. Saw a medical droid in two pieces. Burned.

Then he was moving. Eyes still fluttering. He lumbered slowly down the hall, draped over his rescuer. The voice whispered to him as they moved.

"Keep moving. That's it. One foot in front of the other."

There was a siren behind the voice. A high whine. He wanted to run. It stuck him why – it was the alarm. Kamino was under attack.

"Don't worry about that," said the voice. "Nothing bad. Just some repurposed B1s for a distraction." Now the voice solidified. It was feminine. Light. A quiet mirth behind it. Rex felt at home with the voice. With the figure he couldn't make out.

They kept at it. They were headed to the second dock – away from the alarm.

"My bag," he rasped. The words were soft and broken. He coughed. Couldn't keep his mouth wet enough to speak.

"I've got it. Found the holocron too. You've got a _lot_ to explain when we're out of here." The voice sounded worried. Tight around the edges and shivering with power. Rex wanted to reach out to the power. Wrap himself up in it. Let in flow through him.

 _The Force._

"You feel that now?" asked the voice. "Good. Means you're even stronger than I thought." A sigh. "Gotta get you out of here." A grunt. Rex shifted. His eyes opened a bit more. They were moving through the armoury. They were so close.

Then they rounded a corner. And there stood Shaak Ti between them and the door to the loading bay.

"Hold it, Ahsoka," she said.

Rex glanced to his rescuer. Orange skin. White and blue montrails. It _was_ Ahsoka. She'd come to save him.

But how had she found him?

"I don't want to fight you, Master Ti," said Ahsoka. She shifted Rex so he rested more firmly against her.

"Neither do I," said Master Ti.

Ahsoka's shoulder was trembling beneath Rex. "If he stays with the Republic, he'll be killed. He's different. He knows the truth, or at least parts of it." Ahsoka's voice went tight. "We can _save_ the Republic. We just need to find Sidious."

Master Ti sighed and took a step forward. She clasped her hands together and got that faraway look the Jedi were famous for.

"The Senate and the Council, back when this war first started, tasked me with overseeing the training of the clone troopers. I was to raise them. Train them. Make them into the perfect soldiers they were meant to be." Rex watched her, his head lolled to one side. He frowned.

"You can imagine my surprise when I learned the Kaminoans were killing survivors out of fear," said Master Ti. Her tone went razor sharp. "My _horror_ when I found that these men were being _murdered_ by their creators." Her voice dropped to a snarl.

Rex's vision cleared more. He could see the sharp edges of Master Ti's teeth now.

She looked the two of them in the eye, one after the other, before continuing. "These men are my sons. Each one of you I send out I feel connected to. Each man that dies is my fault. My training. My shortcomings." She threw a hand out to one side. "No more. I will not let my children be _slaughtered_ any longer."

Rex's eyes went wide. He remembered all the times the clones had been comforted by Master Ti. Remembered her soothing hugs and soothing words when he was a scared child. She'd always been closer than the Kaminoans and the bounty hunters.

"What about you?" asked Ahsoka. Her voice quavered.

A slow smile spread across Master Ti's face. "Haven't you heard?" She spread her hands. "I've just been made head of the cloning program."

Rex couldn't help the grin that spread across his face.

"No more chips. No more kill switches. No more controlling free will," said Master Ti. "Soon enough, we will all be free."

"Good luck, Master Ti," said Ahsoka. She helped Rex passed Master Ti and to the bay doors. As the two made their way up to the ship, Master Ti called out one last time.

"Ahsoka," she called.

Ahsoka paused and turned back, halfway up the ramp into her little ship.

"Head to Kashyyyk, you'll find who you're looking for there," said Master Ti.

Ahsoka nodded. Rex held on fast as they got into the ship. And then, within moments, they were taking off and leaving Kamino and Master Shaak Ti behind.


	9. Chapter 9: Converge

**Author's Note:** Holy feedback, Batman! Thank you to everyone who gave feedback last chapter, I'm glad y'all enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Of course, now comes the question - where do we go from here? Well fear not, I promise you that Rex's adventures are only just beginning.

As always, I greatly appreciate everyone who leaves a review, and encourage you to leave a review if you enjoy the chapter.

Cheers!

* * *

 **Nine: Converge**

 _Rex_

 **Now**

Rex awoke to the gentle hum of a ship's engines. For some time, he simply stared up at corrugated metal slats that made up the ceiling.

Bit by bit, he remembered what had happened. Remembered his fight on Kamino – how he'd used the knife and the Force in tandem to take out some Kaminoans. He couldn't recall how many. Couldn't recall who'd taken him down. But he remembered the prick of the needle on his neck. Remembered the way the world had tilted and he'd lost his control of his Force powers.

Then, nothing.

Brief flashes of the past and present blurring together into an incomprehensible tangle of memories and sensations. He'd seen some of his fallen troopers. Felt the touch of Master Shaak Ti's hand on his face.

Then…

He frowned. Squinted passed the fog in his head and found orange skin, sharp teeth, and concerned eyes.

 _Ahsoka._

She'd rescued him. Taken him off Kamino. Saved his life.

And so had Master Ti.

Slowly, Rex sat up on the cot. It was surprisingly comfortable for what sounded like such a small vessel. He glanced around the sleeping area.

Directly across from his cot was a second one, this one had a bag on it. He assumed it was Ahsoka's bed.

Bit by bit, Rex worked his way to the edge of the bed. He swung his legs off the cot and let his feet rest on the floor. He gripped the cot tightly. His head swam. Either from sedation, sleep sickness, or something else entirely.

Rex tested his strength by shifting his weight to his feet. When his legs didn't immediately buckle, he pushed himself up a little. Each shift of his weight took him further and further onto his feet until he was standing with one hand pressed against the wall.

Rex tilted his head one way, then the other. Stretched his arms above his head one at a time. Stretched his back and his legs and felt everything pop back into place. Then, he headed toward the cockpit and toward Ahsoka.

* * *

 **Then**

Rex awoke on a stretcher in a small ship. He stared at the ceiling of what seemed to be a loading bay. Frowned. The entire bay stretched before him – buried in fog and smoke and silence. Everything was far too silent.

From far away came a voice. It solidified slowly. Echoed across his skull without clarity.

Then, "Rex? Can you hear me?"

 _Ahsoka_.

"Are you okay, Rex?"

Rex blinked. The world was still in a fog. The bay was shadow and darkness. All sharp edges and dulled noises.

He blinked again. Orange in his vision. He kept blinking and squinting, forcing his mind back to the surface. _Hell, what was wrong with him?_

"Easy, Rex, you've been through a lot," said Ahsoka.

Rex opened his mouth. Gave a sharp gasp and choked on his own air. After a few low moments of coughing, he managed, "What happened?"

Ahsoka sighed. Slowly, she came into focus. The exhaustion in her eyes had spread to the rest of her face. Her lips trembled from the effort of trying to smile.

"It's a long, long story," she said. "How much do you remember?"

Rex tried to remember. Found that everything was dark and cloaked in shadow and fog. Force save him, what the hell had happened?

"We were in a battle. It went wrong," he said, his voice still hoarse.

"Right," said Ahsoka. "We were ambushed."

Rex grimaced. "I was hit… I woke up on the ground. You said I fell."

Ahsoka nodded. There was something in her eyes – in her expression – that made him think it was more than just a fall.

"My brothers…" He closed his eyes for a moment to hide the pain that flooded them. He couldn't finish the sentence. All the rookies, a handful of ARCs. All dead in an instant. All because he had screwed up again.

He swallowed hard. Tried to find the words to keep speaking. He opened his eyes to see Ahsoka staring at him with a cross between worry and sympathy.

He said, "Then we tried to escape." He shook his head. "I don't remember anything else."

Ahsoka sighed. She disappeared from his view for a second. Reappeared with a cup of water. Then, she helped him sit up.

"Take a drink, Rex, this is going to take a while," said Ahsoka. Rex nodded and took the cup with shaking hands.

* * *

 **Now**

The cockpit was small, holding only two seats and the controls. In the pilot's seat sat Ahsoka with her legs curled up underneath her and her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She was staring out the viewport of the ship, watching the stars speed by as the autopilot took them to their destination.

"Hey," said Ahsoka, without looking away from the stars.

"Hello," said Rex. "Where are we?"

"Mid Rim," said Ahsoka. She frowned. "There's been a lot more pirates lately, but I've been keeping an eye out for them. Nothing yet."

Rex nodded. He sat down in the co-pilot's seat and, for the first time since she left, took a good, long look at Ahsoka.

She looked different, of course, time away after trauma tended to do that. She looked older, her lekku and montrails were larger. The lines in them had started to morph again, betraying a great transition in her figure. And it was strange, Rex thought, to see her without her Padawan braid or akul teeth headband. All that wrapped around her forehead now was a slim piece of cloth.

She'd traded her vibrant reds for pale grey. Traded her Jedi clothing for simpler clothes – a pair of pants, a vest, a simple shirt, arm braces. She was without her lightsabers as well – obviously, the Order hadn't allowed her to keep them.

It was… odd, seeing her so different. Looking as though she'd never been a Jedi. But no, she still was. The body language, the awareness – and her feeling in the Force – told him as much. But she was not the person she'd left the Order as. And looking back on that day, Rex had trouble uniting this Ahsoka with the one who'd fought alongside him in a hundred battles.

"How're you feeling?" asked Ahsoka.

Rex blinked away his thoughts and managed not to jump at her words. He rolled his shoulders, which were still stiff from sleep.

"Fine," said Rex.

Ahsoka stared at him, eye ridges lifted. She didn't have eyebrows, but, he imagined if she did, she'd be raising them at him.

Rex sighed. "Sore. Disoriented. A little confused," he conceded.

"That's more like it," said Ahsoka. She smiled softly, a fond look in her eyes. "It's good to see you." Her voice matched her expression. And there, that was the Ahsoka he remembered. All concern and open eyes. Soft smiles and gentle words. The sister that he thought he'd lost.

Rex smiled back. "And you," he replied, just as quietly. Then, "How did you find me?"

"I heard through an old communicator that you'd escaped custody on Coruscant, I figured you'd head straight for Kamino," said Ahsoka. She sighed. "Rex, what did you think you were you doing there?"

Rex bit his lip. It was a habit he'd picked up from Ahsoka over their time together in the war. He pondered how to phrase his next words. How to explain to Ahsoka that nothing in the Republic was what it seemed.

"I was looking for information on the chip in my head," said Rex, slowly. "When Tup's malfunctioned, he killed a Jedi, and I needed to know why."

Ahsoka's eyes went wide. "He killed a Jedi?" She slumped backward in her seat. _"Force._ "

"Yeah," said Rex, voice hoarse. He cleared his throat. "Fives is… dead. Too."

"I'm sorry," breathed Ahsoka. "So, so sorry."

Rex reached across the space between them and caught her hand. Laced her fingers with his own and smiled softly at her. "It's okay," said Rex. "I know why, now. I know what's going on in the Republic. Some of it, anyway." He frowned. "You couldn't have saved them, don't blame yourself."

Ahsoka sighed. "But… I could have done something. Surely."

"No use dwelling on what ifs, 'Soka, we need to keep moving forward. We need to help the Republic."

Ahsoka laughed, though it was a low and largely humourless sound. "You've changed," she said.

"So have you," replied Rex.

* * *

 **Then**

Rex cupped his drink, holding it close as he listened to Ahsoka explain what had gone wrong on the mission. How they'd arrived only to find it was a trap. How the droids and the Separatists had ambushed them without any warning. How the Commandos had devastated the troopers and killed all but a handful. Then, when Rex and his men thought they were safe, there'd been one last explosion. The last dozen men had fallen over a hundred feet with him. All had died on impact or from the explosion.

Except for him.

Rex had gotten some broken armour and a laceration in his leg for his trouble. Nothing more. He'd been incoherent, but he figured that was blood loss.

When Ahsoka told him about the second explosion, the one that had destroyed his armour, he couldn't help but frown.

"How'd I survive that one?" he asked.

Ahsoka shook her head. "I don't know. You lost so much blood you passed out, but once we gave you a transfusion, you started recovering remarkably quickly."

"Transfusion?" echoed Rex. "There are no more troopers with us. Who gave the blood?"

Ahsoka bit her lip. "Master Skywalker," she said, slowly. "I'm not humanoid enough, so I couldn't, and Master Kenobi had already lost too much blood to help. So, Master Skywalker did."

"Why do you sound so worried about that, sir?" asked Rex.

Ahsoka picked up a datapad from the small table next to Rex's stretcher. He'd wondered, idly, why he was in the loading bay and not the medical bay, but then, he'd probably had an emergency transfusion on the way back to the ship. And, more than that, the medical bay was probably still destroyed from the last attack on the ship. With the loading bay empty, at least Rex was in a mostly sterile environment.

"It's your midi-chlorian count," she said. She turned the datapad toward him. Rex saw several columns of numbers and a handful of shorthand he didn't understand. He frowned. "It's doubled since the transfusion. And it's still rising."

"What?" asked Rex. He blinked hard. There was no possible way he'd heard that correctly. Midi-chlorians were what made Jedi, well, Jedi. At least, that was a small part of it. They made you Force sensitive. If Rex's were rising…

"Ever since we did the astral form technique with you, I've noticed I can sense you more," said Ahsoka. "I thought it was because I'd seen your Force ghost, but looking back at your medical files, your midi-chlorian count has been raising since we pulled you into that circle."

Rex stared at his hands. He stared at the scars on them and the handful of tally marks he had on his pinkie knuckle. Stared at the way they flexed and shifted. Stared at them as hard as he could because maybe if he focused on his hands, he wouldn't have to focus on his thoughts.

 _Your midi-chlorian count is rising._

That was all he could think. The words bounced over and over in his head until they overlapped one another in a maelstrom of noise.

"What do we do, sir?" asked Rex. His voice was quiet in the large space.

* * *

 **Now**

The two sat in silence for some time, both looking out the viewport to study the stars as they passed. Rex scanned the controls absently, watching the lights and readings shift with their position and speed. Everything was in perfect order. He hadn't expected anything else from Ahsoka.

"They're saying you killed Nala Se," said Ahsoka. "And her assistant, on Coruscant." She swallowed visibly, glanced at Rex from the corner of her eyes. "And on Kamino, they put you under because you were killing Kaminoans. And then Master Ti said…" She trailed off.

Rex grimaced. "The Kaminoans were killing clones," he said. And even he was shocked by the levelness of his voice. "Lama Su found me when I was looking for information. I saw the footage, Ahsoka." Now his voice broke, shuddering through the words. "Saw what they did to my _brothers_. They didn't deserve that." His hands clenched hard against the armrests of the seat. He started to shake. Shivering and vibrating with power and rage.

Ahsoka reached out, laid one of her hands across one of his own.

"They tortured my brothers for information none of them had," said Rex, taking a deep breath. "And when I found out…"

Ahsoka finished the sentence. "You killed him. Then you turned on the rest of the Kaminoans."

Rex put his head in his heads and managed a weak nod. "Kriff," he breathed. "I don't know what came over me."

"What they did was horrible," said Ahsoka. "You can't blame yourself for that."

"No, but I can blame myself for giving in," said Rex.

"Do you?" asked Ahsoka.

"Do you?" echoed Rex. The words hung between them for an impossibly long moment. Rex lifted his head to stare at Ahsoka with wide, hurting eyes. Found himself praying – and kriff, since when did he pray? – that she wouldn't hate him. Wouldn't regret saving him.

"No," said Ahsoka. Then, in a voice so soft Rex knew it was a confession, "I probably would have done the same."

And she would have. They were both trained by General Anakin Skywalker, after all. Both taught that killing was a necessity of war. Both had done it before. Both would do it again. Hard to lose sleep over a constant that kept saving your life.

Or at least, that's what Skywalker would have said. But Rex didn't feel the same way. Killing the Kaminoans had felt like his only option at the time. Looking back, Rex didn't know what else he could have done. That didn't stop the 'what ifs' that spiralled through his head, nor the disgust that churned his stomach and threatened to leave him heaving.

He had blood on his hands now, more so than he'd built up over the rest of the war. It was one thing to shoot a man who was trying to kill you. It was another thing entirely to plan the murder of a dozen people, torturers or not.

Kriff, what had happened to him? What had come over him?

And would it happen again?

"Why do you have a holocron?" asked Ahsoka after what felt like an hour. She directed the question at the viewport. "Better yet, _how_ do you have a holocron?" Now, she turned to face him, frowning. But her voice was lighter than before, not weighed down with the blood on her hands.

Rex grimaced. "Apparently I'm Force sensitive enough that the Jedi don't realize I'm not one of them at a glance," he said.

"You've come a long way since you started," said Ahsoka. "But I still can't believe they just let you in." The disbelief on her face wrinkled her nose and widened her eyes.

"Neither can I," confessed Rex. The words tumbled out of him. "I headed for the archives and no one so much as looked at me. Then, when I was sure I wasn't going to get dragged out, I snuck up into the holocron chamber, stole the holocron, and walked back out." He leaned back in his seat. "I probably shook for an hour." Another confession.

Ahsoka shook her head and flopped back in her seat. She stared out at the stars. " _Kriff,_ " she breathed.

And Rex stared at her. When had Ahsoka started cursing?

"Sir?" he said, and it fell from his lips without conscious thought.

Ahsoka looked at him. He looked at her.

"What's on it?" asked Ahsoka, evidently deciding to ignore his slip-up.

"I think it's Sith plans," said Rex. "The Republic is being manipulated from the inside out, I believe this holocron holds the key to their plans – a backup, so to speak. If I'm right, it should lead us right to Darth Sidious." He frowned. "If we can get it open. You can open it, right?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "Was never taught, but that won't be a problem," she said.

"Why not?" asked Rex.

Ahsoka waved him off. "About the Republic and Darth Sidious, I think I have a lead. I know that Sidious is in the Senate, and based on the concentration of the Dark Side on Coruscant, I think it might be Senator Amedda."

"The vice chairman?" said Rex. He thought back to his trial. To the way the man had looked at him. To the darkness that clung to him like an old friend. "I can believe that. But how do we prove it?"

Ahsoka said, "Well, if you're right about the holocron, the information on it could lead us right to him."

"But you said you can't open it," said Rex.

" _I_ can't," said Ahsoka, and for the first time since they'd reunited, Ahsoka grinned.

Rex narrowed his eyes at her, though he found himself more pleased than annoyed. "Where are we going?"

* * *

 **Then**

"Nothing," said Ahsoka firmly. Rex stared at her. She kept her eyes narrow and her hands clenched as she spoke. "Absolutely nothing. A higher midi-chlorian count doesn't mean you're Force sensitive, it just makes you easier to sense in the Force."

"It's apparently done more than that," said Rex. The fall. The explosion. The durability. All the times he'd run farther and faster than his brothers since the astral form circle. All of it now made a horrible amount of sense. He was no longer just a trooper. And being unique in an army of clones – beyond the aesthetic differences brothers prided themselves on – wasn't a good thing.

"There's nothing to worry about." Ahsoka's voice was high and sharp. Her sharp teeth glinted with every word. Her upper lip pulled back close to her nose. "We don't have to do anything, not unless you actually start to develop Force powers. I'll teach you how to meditate, we already tried after Umbara." She swallowed hard. "We can handle this."

"And the Generals?" asked Rex. "They'll see my records, so will Kix. They'll know."

"I altered them," said Ahsoka. Her voice was soft, a confession. "I've already gone through all your files and changed the midi-chlorian count to what it should be for troopers. As far as my masters are concerned, there is nothing going on with you that good old-fashioned exercise couldn't do." Her voice trembled as she spoke. _She_ trembled as she spoke.

"And what about before? The files after the circle?" asked Rex. "Kix _saw_ those."

Ahsoka shook her head. "No, he hasn't. Midi-chlorian counts aren't standard protocol. Kix probably never went to their page in your files. If he had, he would have said something to Master Skywalker." Her voice wavered as she spoke.

"We can handle this," she hissed. "I won't lose you."

Rex reached out and pressed a hand to her shoulder. He held her firmly until she looked back into his eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said.

* * *

 **Now**

Ahsoka was grinning as she said, "We're going back to Kashyyyk. You remember Quinlan Vos, right? I'm sure he'll love to meet you."

Rex fell back in his seat and groaned. The wild Jedi? On a wild planet? "Perfect."


	10. Chapter 10: Greet

**Author's Note:** Later in the day than usual, but I worked until five today and didn't get home until five thirty. I cannot wait for my placement to be done. Two more weeks! As always, thank you to everyone for all the feedback, favourites, and follows. They truly make my day.

This chapter is one that made me rewatch a very specific episode of The Clone Wars, as well as look up a couple of EU ebooks. Hopefully it shows. Not a lot of flashbacks either this chapter, but the next few chapters should make up for that.

Oh! And with this chapter posted, we are officially a third of the way finished Subtle Variations of Blue! Holy cow!

If you like the chapter, please leave a review! They're a huge motivator to write with how busy I am these days.

* * *

 **Chapter Ten: Greet**

 _Rex_

 **Now**

The ship touched down at sunset in a small clearing, somewhere in the northern hemisphere of Kashyyyk. Rex watched as the winds from the small ship blew back the trees and the grass, ruffling them until the small clearing looked as wild as the rest of the planet.

Without thinking, he reached out toward the planet with his Force abilities. Felt the way the world pulsed beneath his finger tips and under his tongue. It was honey-thick and just as sweet, coated in musk and the laughter shared between friends over a campfire. Rex sighed.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" said Ahsoka, leaning over the back of his chair. "I never get sick of that feeling."

Rex shook his head. "Does it ever stop being so… overwhelming?" asked Rex.

Ahsoka chuckled. She flashed Rex a bright smile that was half-teeth and half-eyes. "Sometimes, but then sometimes it hits you, and you remember just how connected you are to things you don't understand. That, Rex, never gets old."

Rex nodded. "I look forward to feeling all the other planets we come across."

Ahsoka clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, Vos shouldn't be far from here."

"Can you sense him?" asked Rex. He cocked his head to one side, trying to feel for something like what he'd felt on Kamino. He was starting to realize that all Jedi felt different, and that Jedi could change feelings over time as well. Ahsoka had gone from over-excitable electricity to a quiet crackling of energy – tightly controlled, but still volatile.

"Nope," said Ahsoka. "Vos isn't one to allow himself to be sensed if he doesn't want to be." She shrugged. "Should be fun to find him."

Rex followed Ahsoka through the clearing and into the jungles of Kashyyyk. He kept his eyes and ears pealed, and his Force senses stretched out in hopeful tendrils. If Ahsoka was right, then the tendrils didn't matter. But still, he was curious if they'd pick up anything at all.

"You've gotten a lot stronger," said Ahsoka. She glanced over her shoulder at Rex. "Lots of practice?"

Rex nodded. "Yeah," he said, and his voice was a little rough. "Where I could get it. Finally perfected meditation too."

She laughed. "Now that's impressive."

Silence for a moment. Awkward and uncomfortable. Rex wasn't sure what to ask Ahsoka, and he didn't think she knew what to ask him either. Both were silent and twitching. Waiting for the other to speak. Ahsoka hadn't asked about a lot of things. Rex hadn't told her much either.

It had been so long since they'd seen each other, and both had changed so much. How were they to know where to begin?

"Ahsoka?" asked Rex, finally breaking the awful silence.

"Hmm?" said Ahsoka. She ducked under a tree branch and Rex followed suit. Their boots stuck in the mud as they walked.

"What's General Vos like?" he asked.

Ahsoka hesitated. Rex felt her uncertainty roil in the Force like a solid thing. Like he could reach out and touch it. And maybe he could. He didn't understand half of what he could do anymore.

"He was never meant for war," said Ahsoka slowly. "Even though he was trained for it. Even though he went undercover for it. He was never meant for it. He liked the Jedi better as peacekeepers." She swallowed audibly. "Like Master Ti or Master Unduli or…" _Barriss Offee._

* * *

 **Then**

The hot desert planet was nothing but dust and rock as far as Rex could see. With the droid factory collapsed and the battle won, Rex was organizing clean-up and sweeping efforts.

Commander Tano and Commander Offee were still on planet. Both were injured and largely sitting out of the efforts, but they were staying long enough for the men to congratulate them on a job well done. Commander Gree in particular seemed to be hovering near the two young Padawans. And, while the commander wouldn't admit it, Rex knew Gree was worried about Commander Offee. And he knew that Gree was sticking close to ensure she wasn't hurt further.

Rex leaned against one of the supply crates and took a swig from his canteen. From his current position, he could see Commander Tano and Commander Offee talking quietly to each other. Commander Gree hovered about twenty feet away, his helmet off and his head cocked to one side. Listening in just as surely as Rex was. Rex nodded to Gree, who nodded back, and took another swig from his canteen.

"Captain," called Commander Offee. "Could I have a moment?"

Rex set down his canteen and walked over to the two Jedi. "Yes, sir?" he asked. He fell into parade rest without hesitation.

"I wanted to thank you, for your assistance," said Commander Offee. "The 501st legion is incredible, and Ahsoka tells me that you are the reason for their efficiency and skill."

Rex nodded sharply. "Yes, sir, I am their captain. But I simply work with what I'm given. These men are good men. And General Skywalker and Commander Tano train them just as well – if not better – than I do."

"He's modest," said Commander Tano drily. She grinned. Even covered in dirt, blood, and bruises, the grin lit up the entirety of her small figure. "Rex here runs drills even Skyguy never thinks of."

Commander Offee gave a tiny smile – one much more reserved and serene than Commander Tano's own large grin.

"I assure you, sir, I only do what I can to keep my men alive," said Rex.

"And you do well," said Commander Offee. "Perhaps you should speak with Commander Gree. He is quite talented. Together, you could create the finest men in the Republic."

"High praise," said Rex. But he was smiling now as well. Then, he cleared his throat and shifted his helmet where it rested under one arm. "You two should rest, sirs. You've done well today. We can handle everything else."

"Right," said Commander Tano. "Thanks, Rex." Behind them, a ship was lowering to the ground. Commander Tano took Commander Offee's by the hand and guided her to the lowering ship. Rex watched as the two climbed up into the ship and left, wrapped in blankets on repulsor gurneys.

"They're good kids," said Commander Gree.

Rex nodded. "Too young for war."

"Aren't we all?" asked Commander Gree, raising an eyebrow to Rex.

* * *

 **Now**

The sudden rustle of overhead leaves drew Rex's mind back to the present. His head snapped up just in time to see Quinlan Vos drop out of the trees. His eyes were alight and so was his lightsaber. A snarl crossed his dark features and left the Force roiling around the three.

Rex stumbled and grabbed his head. He took a knee and tried to force the sheer amount of _pain_ ripping into his skull back out.

"Where is he?" snarled Quinlan Vos.

"Master Vos, please," started Ahsoka.

Vos cut her off. "Where. Is. He."

"Who?" asked Rex. His entire body shook with pain, but he forced himself back to his feet.

Vos stared at him with wide eyes. The Force shook around them – molted with darkness and anger. He deactivated his lightsaber and let his arms fall to his sides. The Force cleared until it was only a little darker than Rex was used to.

"It's you," said Vos. There was a wonder in his voice that made Rex want to hide behind Ahsoka. "You're the other Force signature." He jaw dropped open and he kept staring.

"Who did you think it was?" asked Ahsoka. "And why do you want to kill him?"

Vos shook his head. "Thought it was Skywalker," he muttered.

In perfect unison, Rex and Ahsoka's eyes widened. They turned to look at one another with the same comical expression.

"Skywalker?" echoed Rex. "What did he do?"

For the first time, Rex felt Vos' signature. It was sharp and musky – wild jungles mixed with frantic movements. A darkness cloaked the entirety of Vos' Force signature. A cloak that draped around Vos and left him shadowed in pain and anger and loss. A cloak that left Rex reeling from peering too closely.

And, Rex realized with dawning horror, that cloak seemed to mimic his own movements. His own actions. A twin to the man that stood across from him.

"Feel it, don't you?" asked Vos. "That's why I thought you were Skywalker. He's the only one I know with that much Dark Side around him." He grimaced. "Other than me."

"But why did you want to _kill_ him?" asked Ahsoka, horror evident in her voice.

Vos scowled. "He's gone completely mental since your trial, Rex. I assumed if he was here, he'd be attacking." He sighed. "Apologies."

Rex couldn't find the words to say anything on his mind, nor to accept Vos' apology. His head was a rolling turmoil of fear and pain and _why_. Dark Side. That was the darkness that surrounded him. Cloaked his actions and his tongue. What made him lose control on Kamino. What made him murder the people that he had once called "creator" in cold blood. His stomach churned. Rex swallowed hard. Tried not to vomit.

"Yeah, that's about the look you should have." Vos gave a dark chuckle. "Best part of being Force sensitive," said Vos. And Rex could practically _taste_ the sarcasm. "Get too far gone in your anger and you fall to the Dark Side – even if just for a moment. And that hangs on to you – clings to you – forever." Vos was silent long enough for Rex to straighten up and look him in the eye.

Then, Vos asked, "So, how many did you kill?"

"I didn't," started Rex. The words tumbled from his lips, unchecked. "I didn't mean to. They were killing my –" And he stopped because no, they weren't his anymore. "They were killing clones," he said, and his voice was rough and hoarse and broken. "They deserved to die."

Vos grinned. "Watch that line of thinking. It'll undo you more often than not."

Ahsoka looked between the two. Her eyes were wide and her lips were trembling. "He isn't Dark Side," she said, and the firmness in her voice scared Rex. He looked at Ahsoka, wondering how she could be so sure.

"Really?" asked Vos. He grinned at her, all teeth.

"No," said Ahsoka, tightly. "I won't let him fall. I'm not losing anyone else."

Vos shook his head, a smirk on his face. "You Jedi and your attachment. Ain't that one of the biggest rules? Don't get attached."

"I'm not a Jedi anymore," said Ahsoka.

Vos tilted his head to look at her. "No, you're not, little one. Good." Another grin. "Looks like you're finally learning what it means to protect the galaxy." Then, "Now, what did you need from me?"

Ahsoka and Rex looked to one another. Rex raised an eyebrow. What it meant to protect the galaxy? What was Vos going on about? Why was he a Jedi if he hated them? But, they were here for the holocron, so Rex merely nodded to Ahsoka instead of voicing his thoughts. After a moment, Ahsoka pulled the holocron out of the bag she carried.

Vos let out a low whistle and took the holocron from her. He rolled it over and over in his hands, then broke into a wide grin. "How'd you manage to get this?"

"Temple security is terrible," said Rex. "When you feel like a Jedi, they don't bother to check your credentials."

Vos laughed, this time it was bright and happy. "Fair enough." His gaze lifted to Rex then. "You always had anger problems? Or is that just recent?"

* * *

 **Then**

Scuffles in the mess were normal – part of being a clone, a soldier. Rex knew that, just as surely as he knew that rookies were almost always the ones that got targeted. After all, rookies needed to learn their place when they got too cocky. Cockiness got you killed on the battlefield.

But that didn't excuse what Fox's men were up to this time.

A pair of them were holding down one trooper while a third beat his arms and legs with his boots.

The moment Rex saw the men, he hauled them off the rookie with a snarl. Started with the one kicking the rookie. Grabbed him by the shoulders and tore him off the kid. Then he grabbed the other two – quick as lightning – and put himself between the three men and the rookie.

"The hell is wrong with you?" snapped Rex. That got a few eye rolls.

"Come on, Captain, we're just having fun. Rookie needs to learn," said one of them. Rex couldn't remember his name. He wasn't sure if that made him want to beat the other clone more or less.

"Don't you dare make this about initiation," said Rex. He stabbed a finger at one of them. "For one, he ain't even one of yours." A quick glance at the rookie's armour marked him as one of Cody's. "And you know Commander Cody doesn't like other brothers initiating his men. He's got a specific way of doing things."

One of the three scoffed and folded his arms. "Really? So we can't do traditions anymore without you two getting on to us? What a buzzkill."

"Sir," added a second, belatedly. But he was grinning as he said it.

Rex scowled and walked up to the man. They were the same height, but in that instant, Rex knew he seemed a lot bigger than he was.

"I'm going to make this as clear as I can," said Rex in a low voice. He grabbed the man by the wrist, flipped him around, and slammed him belly first into the hard tile floor.

Rex planted a knee on the man's back, yanked both arms behind the man's back, and Rex planted his other foot hard on the tiles. Then, he leaned close to the other soldier's ear.

"Listen closely," hissed Rex. "You touch my boys again – and yes, I consider the two-twelve my boys as well – I'll serve your head on a kriffing platter. Got it?"

A shaky nod and a "yes, sir" from the soldier. The others around him mumbled similar words.

Rex released the man and stood. Then, he helped the rookie to his feet and cracked a smile at him.

"You got a name, solider?" asked Rex.

"Boil," said the rookie.

"Well, Boil, it's good to meet you," said Rex. He slung and arm around Boil's shiny armour and guided him toward Rex's lunch. "You're eating with me today."

* * *

 **Now**

"It ain't recent," said Rex. "Just more intense."

Vos hummed, noncommittal. After a moment, his eyes went out of focus. Rex watched with great interest, his own eyes wide. Then, Vos gave a gasp and jerked back from the holocron. It fell toward the jungle floor.

Ahsoka shot out a hand and it stopped, a few inches above the layers of mud and leaves and grass.

"What is it?"

"Dark Side?" hissed Vos, grabbing at his head. "Too much to use my psychometry." He hissed again and gritted his teeth. " _Damn_ it."

Ahsoka flicked her wrist and the holocron flew into her hand. "So it was touched by Sidious then, no one else could be that powerful," she said. Vos nodded.

"So we just have to get it open, then," said Rex. "And we'll know everything we need to know."

Vos shook his head. He took a deep breath and shook himself. "Won't work," he said. "It's encoded for Dark Side users, not Jedi."

"So we can't open it at all?" asked Ahsoka. She sighed and scrubbed her face.

"We're coated in Dark Side," said Rex. "I saw it. We can't use that?" He frowned.

"No," said Vos. "I'm sorry." He handed the holocron back to Ahsoka and shook his head. "There's nothing I can do."

"Nothing?" asked Ahsoka. "You can't try and open it? Or find someone else who can?" asked Ahsoka. Vos shook his head.

"I'm sorry," he said again.

Ahsoka and Rex turned to each other.

"Now what?" asked Ahsoka.

Rex shook his head. "I don't know. We need to help the Republic. But I don't know what else could help them."

"Republic finally gone to shit?" asked Vos.

"Yeah," said Rex. "There are chips in our heads, the Senate has gone to shit, and everything is falling apart."

"We're going to lose the war," said Ahsoka, her voice was half frustration and half defeated exhaustion. Rex felt a similar weight to his own voice and to the slump of his shoulders.

Vos raised an eyebrow. "The mind control chips?" he echoed.

"Yeah," said Rex. "You know about them?"

"I do," said Vos. "I also know that they can do a lot of awful things to you." Rex remembered Tup. Remembered the mantra of 'good soldiers follow orders'. Remembered Fives and Fox and the smell of burning flesh in the warehouse.

Awful things didn't even begin to cover what the chips could do to people. Least of all when they malfunctioned. But Rex still didn't know the extent of their damage, nor of their coding.

Vos bit the inside of his cheek – visible by the way his face twitched and his cheek concaved. Then, he said, "You still have yours?"

Rex nodded. "Yeah. I haven't had a chance to remove it." Absently, his fingers went to the spot where the chip was located. They brushed his scalp lightly. Rex fought a shiver. He wanted nothing more than to get rid of it, but he had no idea how.

"You want me to remove it?" asked Vos.

"What?" asked Rex. His incredulous tone matched his dropped jaw and wide eyes.

Ahsoka's eyes widened in tandem with Rex's. "Can you?"

Vos nodded. "Yeah," said Vos. "I've done it before, to all my boys. I can remove yours too. Do you want me to?" He stuffed his hands in his pockets, like he wasn't offering to save Rex from certain death.

"You have a battalion?" asked Rex. He narrowed his eyes. "You aren't allowed."

Vos grinned. "Doesn't mean I don't have one." And that fit, really, with everything Rex knew about Vos. But just what kind of men would willingly break so many rules to work for a man they could never be seen with? A man that never touched the war, let alone the front lines? Rex couldn't help but be curious as to who would choose such a thing.

"Wanna meet them?" asked Vos.

Ahsoka and Rex looked at each other. Then they looked back at Vos.

"Lead the way," said Ahsoka, gesturing into the depths of the Kashyyyk jungle.


	11. Chapter 11: See

**Author's Note:** Again, a huge thank you to everyone who left feedback on the last chapter and chatted with me in the PMs. You are all such wonderful people and I adore reading each and every review that you leave. Every notification in my email about this story brings me a lot of joy, especially with how my life has gone the last two weeks.

This chapter is when things start to get a little more... coherent, for our dear Rex. I hope you'll understand what I mean by that. We're building up to the midpoint now, and the next few chapters are quite a ride. I hope you all enjoy them.

As always, if you enjoy this chapter, please leave a review! I love every review and they make writing this story even more fulfilling than it already is.

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven: See**

 _Rex_

 **Now**

The walk back to Quinlan Vos' base was mostly quiet. Rex was too wrapped in his own thoughts to keep up a conversation and, based on the look on her face, he assumed Ahsoka was in a similar position.

Images of Kamino slid back into his head with every step. The fall of the Kaminoans, the slash of a knife across a throat, the scream of a creature who was supposed to be monotonous and quiet and unfeeling. In the end, they had felt. In the end, they had all felt the pain that they had inflicted on his brothers. In the moment, Rex had thought nothing. But after that moment, thoughts had returned. If he'd had the chance, he would have torn them apart piece by piece…

Rex shook off the thought. Fear clambered up his throat and flooded his senses. He swallowed hard and licked his lips. The thoughts lingered in the back of his mind, hissing and whispering. But most of Kamino didn't return to him. Nothing more than a handful of flashes that would make little sense if not for the fear and pain and _hunger_ that coated each moment.

He hoped, for his sake, that he never remembered the rest.

"Now, my men are eccentric," said Vos. "But I imagine you're used to some level of eccentric."

Rex and Ahsoka exchanged a look, both expressions marred by mild frowns and furrowed brows.

"How eccentric are we talking?" asked Rex.

Vos grinned over his shoulder. "Bad batchers," said Vos. "The lot of 'em. And enhanced by the Kaminoans, even."

"Dead men walking," said Rex, a trace of awe in his voice.

Vos chuckled and leaped over a log. "Yeah. They used to be a troop on their own, just the four of 'em. But then they stepped over the line a while back. I intercepted their ship when they were sent back to Kamino for decommissioning. Been with me ever since."

Rex shook his head as he ducked around a swinging branch. "That shouldn't be possible."

"Neither should you," replied Vos. That made Rex fall silent. Vos was right, of course, but it was still hard to believe. He stood here, breathing, thinking, talking. Why should he be impossible?

Vos led them through the jungle and deep into a grove of trees that stood taller than Rex had seen before on Kashyyyk. The area tasted old. The trees, the animals – even the air itself – sang to Rex as he followed Vos. The taste was heavy on his tongue, the feeling heavy in his lungs.

It was overripe fruit and childhood laughter. Pranks whose effects were still echoing in the branches all around them. Echoes of mistakes and memories clung to the air like cloaks, lingering and watching the three as they passed.

The dead sat in the canopy, watching Rex as he passed. He saw a trooper in the trees, just as truly as he saw Vos in front of him. Rex spun, squinted into the leaves and the branches.

A man with a handprint tattoo on his chest and pain in his eyes. Fully formed this time, not half destroyed like he'd been back on Kamino.

Echo vanished into smoke. Rex shuddered, turned, and kept going.

"You okay?" asked Ahsoka.

Rex managed a weak nod as he rested his hand against his face. "Yeah," he murmured, but even he wasn't convinced by his tone.

"Ghosts," said Vos, his voice faraway despite being only a few feet in front of the two. "They linger here, where the Force is strongest on Kashyyyk. Most believe them to be demons, monsters that lie in wait to take your soul and feed on your blood." Vos shook his head. "Makes for peaceful living, if you ignore the ghosts of your murder and shame."

Rex glanced over his shoulder, his blood running cold. _Murder_. It wasn't a stretch. He was responsible for Echo's death. As well as a hundred other men that had served in the 501st since he'd become its captain.

"Huh," said Ahsoka, glancing around, her own voice had the same faraway quality.

"What?" asked Rex.

"I thought I'd see more," said Ahsoka, quietly. Rex let his gaze flit back to Vos, trying to hide his own fear in his expression. Clone troopers surrounded him in the shadows, most of them in armour that was so dirty and worn they blended in perfectly with the canopies. He resisted the urge to flinch as their eyes fell on him over and over again. Couldn't quite supress a shudder that Vos and Ahsoka politely ignored.

Fives stood in front of them, up to his ankles in the bog they waded through. Vos passed straight through him.

Rex stumbled before he managed the same. Ahsoka shot him a concerned look, but Rex focused on the ground in front of him. He focused on stepping over rocks and branches he could sense instead of see. Pretended not to notice the dozens of pairs of eyes that followed his every movement.

"I brought Skywalker here, once," said Vos. "He ran." There was something sharp and bitter in his voice. "Coward of a man, not to be able to face his own victims."

Ahsoka and Rex bristled at that.

"Why do you hate him so much?" snapped Ahsoka.

"Agreed. What did he ever do to you?" asked Rex.

Vos leaped into a tree and gestured for the two to follow.

"Grey Jedi have always existed – myself, Qui-Gon Jinn, others. Ever since Skywalker came to the Order, his anger, his recklessness, and his penchant for ignoring everything the Order stands for has made it difficult for grey Jedi to exist," said Vos. His words were slow and measured. "Or do you not remember how tightly the Order has been controlling Jedi? Do you not notice how strict they are now?" asked Vos.

Ahsoka scowled and scaled the trees next to Rex. "We're in a war, Master," said Ahsoka. The honorific was hardly respectful, given her tone.

"They kicked me right off Coruscant because of him. _Forgive me_ if I ain't inclined to care about him," said Vos. There was a snarl in his voice as he spoke.

Rex stayed silent and followed Vos to his home. He climbed the tree and tried to ignore the growing pit in his stomach.

* * *

 **Then**

The argument could be heard across most of the Temple. Rex, having been given the rare privilege to stand inside the Temple, tried not to fidget from where he stood in the hallway. Ahsoka sat on a bench to his left, but she didn't speak. She kept her eyes closed, obviously trying to meditate despite the noise.

Rex was grateful for her presence, but he wasn't sure why she was here. Ahsoka hadn't been on Kamino. All she knew was what the men had told her and what the debriefing had explained. She didn't know about the pain of having to kill your own brothers. Or the fear of going up against a Jedi traitor and knowing he could kill most of you without trying. Or the horror at knowing that most of what had happened…

That _all_ that had happened could have been stopped. If only you hadn't been such a good kriffing soldier.

Rex paced. He rubbed his hands together and tried not to scream or cry or beat his hands against the wall. Images flooded his mind. Of his dead brothers, lying in the dirt. Shot by their own.

Waxer, crying, just before he died.

Boil, screaming, when Rex had handed him Waxer's helmet. Then, silence. Boil hadn't spoken since.

With a sigh, Rex leaned his head against the wall and blinked hard. The shouts inside the council room were growing quieter. Rex knew that it was taking place here and not in the Senate due to the sensitive nature of Krell's betrayal. But that didn't change the odds of the verdict.

Rex was viewed as broken by Jedi and clones alike. He'd snapped. He'd attacked Fox for what Fox had said.

If Rex was allowed to continue on, he would be amazed.

As if on cue, the door to the council chambers opened. Both Rex and Ahsoka looked toward them. General Kenobi stood just inside them.

In a soft voice, General Kenobi said, "Ahsoka, Rex, could you join us in here?"

Obediently, Rex followed the general into the chambers. And as the door shut behind him, he tried not to think of the sound as a gavel, declaring his death sentence for all who wanted to hear it.

* * *

 **Now**

Vos' home in the depths of the Force sensitive centre of Kashyyyk was a modest thing, similar to what Rex had come to expect from a Jedi. It was a tree house, strung across half a dozen platforms that were only accessible through the rope bridges strung between them. Or via Force jump, if Rex felt so inclined to try. There was no noticeable entrance, either, only a handful of vines that marked the best place to climb.

It was a simple, wooden home in the trees. There were a few things out of place, however, that immediately drew his gaze. The dismembered droids, the extra parts for blasters both big and small, the sniper rifle perched in a tree branch. And the armour. Pieces of it, some painted and some not. He felt a pang in his heart and a heaviness in his shoulders. Ahsoka had loaned him some simple clothes after his old ones became bloodstained.

He looked like a man on the run. Or a Jedi in hiding. Not a clone. And the sight of this armour, splayed out like he splayed his out when he had oft repainted it, only served to remind him of that.

He was no longer a clone. No longer connected to these brothers.

"You alright?" asked Vos, coming up behind him. Rex managed a nod, but said nothing else. He wasn't sure if his voice would hold out convincingly enough.

Vos clapped him on the shoulder. "Alright. Boys!" Vos lifted his voice to a shout. "Come on out and meet our newest guests."

Four troopers emerged from the leaves and the shadows of the tree house. If not for their appearances, Rex would have sworn they were another set of ghosts from the Force of the planet's centre. As it stood, he could scarcely believe these men were clones to begin with.

One was an incredibly gaunt and pale man. Another had long, shaggy hair and a bandana tied around his head. The third looked almost like a normal trooper, if not for the goggles he wore and the lighter pallor of his skin. The fourth was a huge, lurking figure in the background, a good six inches taller than the others. Rex swallowed hard.

"Captain Rex, Ahsoka," said Vos, gesturing to the two. "Meet the Bad Batch."

* * *

 **Then**

CT-7567 sat on a cold metal bench and tried to pretend he couldn't hear the words of Nala Se and General Ti in the next room. They were arguing over him. Over his test scores.

"I do not understand why you let the clone take on the final exam on his own," Nala Se was saying. "He is part of a squad, like all others."

General Ti's reply was as soft as her eyes were when she'd last spoken to him. "His brothers have refused to be associated with him."

"Logical," said Nala Se. "He is an anomaly, a bad batch clone."

CT-7567 grimaced and shook his head. He wasn't bad. He _wasn't._ He was just as strong and intelligent as the rest of his brothers. And faster, but that was part of being a scout.

"He has a heart, but that doesn't mean we cannot use him," said General Ti.

CT-7567 stared at his hands. Looked at the nicks that already marked his skin from how often he'd run that particular exam by himself. His brothers refused to do it with him since he'd panicked the first time and gotten one of them shot.

"The 7500 series were an experiment. We attempted to make clones more apathetic to death to create elite stealth soldiers. They failed," said Nala Se.

General Ti scoffed. "No, _we_ failed. He is the only one left, we shouldn't write him off simply because we did not understand how to train them. Because we didn't understand the differences in their strength."

"Four hundred and ninety-nine dead troopers is not a question of strength. We attempted to make them apathetic and only succeeded in destroying the parts of their minds that allow them to deal with stress and trauma," said Nala Se.

General Ti protested, "But he survived."

"That makes him an anomaly, not a hero," snapped Nala Se. "We do not know why he simply didn't kill himself like the rest. But that does not change that he is no more suited for the traumas of war than a simple civilian."

A slam of a fist hitting something. Perhaps another hand. CT-7567 clenched his own hands, trying not to shake. They were going to decommission him. He knew it. He was a defect. He didn't blame them, even if he wanted to live.

"He completed the final exam _alone_. That is a feat no other simple trooper has managed. Even our arc troopers have difficulty with such a task," said General Ti. "Give him a chance. I know he will prove this experiment wasn't all for naught."

"Fine," said Nala Se. CT-7567's head snapped up, eyes wide. No. It wasn't _possible._ "However, the moment he steps out of line or proves to be susceptible to trauma, like I know he is, he will be decommissioned."

"Agreed," said General Ti.

Fading footsteps. An opening door. CT-7567 looked up. General Ti stared him in the eye. She crossed the room and kneeled in front of him, her hands on his knees. Her own eyes – as blue as he'd ever seen them – seemed to look right through him.

She reached up and brushed her thumb across his cheek.

"You will survive," she said, her voice firm and maternal all at once. CT-7567 could have floated away on that voice forever. "You will prove them wrong and prove me right, I know it."

"Sir?" asked CT-7567, his voice filled with concern.

She smiled, her eyes shimmering. "You simply need a leg up. A way to survive the trauma your mind is no longer built to take." She reached up with her other hand and rested her hands on his cheeks. She stared deep into his eyes. And CT-7567 felt his breathing sync with hers. Felt his mind drift away in those eyes until they were all he could see.

The galaxy seemed to expand in his mind's eye. He could feel every living thing on Kamino. Could feel all the emotions screaming beneath the surface of his skin. His fingertips itched to move and twitch.

Then, all the emotions dimmed. His own included. Every inch of his mind came forward to greet him. His training yanked to the surface before being shoved back to his subconscious and muscle memory.

General Ti released his face. She smiled at him. He could see again.

"What did you do, sir?" asked CT-7567.

She brushed her fingers across his head.

"I simply gave you what the others have," said General Ti, her voice infinitely soft. "A way to deal with trauma and stress in the war zone. It just so happens that my method of doing so, is a bit less… scientific and quantifiable, than the Kaminoans."

CT-7567 nodded slowly. "Thank you, sir."

"You are very welcome." She stood and held out her hand. "Now, come. You graduate tomorrow. We should find you a battalion to join."

CT-7567 took her hand and followed General Ti out of the room.

* * *

 **Now**

Rex smiled at the four men and nodded his head in respect. "Boys," he said, lips twitching slightly.

One of the men grinned at him, the others regarded him quietly.

Vos pointed to each man as he introduced them. "Rex, this is Hunter, Crosshair, Tech, and Wrecker. Boys, this is Captain Rex and Ahsoka Tano of the Republic."

A whistle from the one called Hunter. "You're Captain Rex of the five-oh-first?" he asked.

Rex nodded.

"You've got funny eyes," said Wrecker.

"Jedi eyes," said Tech, his head cocked to one side. "Fascinating."

Rex swallowed hard. "Yeah." He didn't know what else to say. How to explain what he was to these men. Or how to ask them what they were.

Thankfully, Vos sensed the awkwardness and stepped in with a question of his own.

"Now, you wanna know what happens when we take out the chip?" asked Vos. Rex turned his attention back to Vos – though it was nigh impossible to take his eyes off these men – and nodded.

"Basically," said Tech. "It will remove the limits in your mind that prevent the full strength of your emotions from coming through. It will also remove the suggestion implants that force you to be compliant with orders made by the Jedi, as well as several other suggestions we were pre-programmed with."

Rex nodded again, slower this time, trying to take it all in. Pre-programmed suggestions and compliancy, yes, that would be a welcome change. But then, the words about the stretch of emotions struck him. He swallowed, hard.

"How much of a change is it, for emotions?" asked Rex, his gaze flitting between Tech and Vos.

Vos shrugged. "It's unique to each of you, why?"

In his mind's eyes, Rex saw the deaths of the Kaminoans. The crushed skulls and bleeding throats. He tasted blood. Saw the fear in his brothers' eyes – some of it from then, some of it from back when he first started as Captain. Smelled the death that surrounded him wherever he went.

He saw the fear in Ahsoka's eyes when he ripped a man off her way back when they first started together.

"I'm already one of the angriest and most violent brothers there is when left unchecked," said Rex, slowly. "How much worse will I get?"

Vos said nothing. Neither did the Bad Batch.

Ahsoka rested a hand on Rex's shoulder and smiled at him.

"You'll still be you. You're only angry when you have reason to be," said Ahsoka. She ran her thumb over his cheek. It was a gesture bathed in familiarity and memories of his time on Kamino. Happier times.

"You're not scared of what I could become?" asked Rex.

Ahsoka grinned. "Actually, I'm excited. Your Force signature is so dim like this. I want to know what you truly feel like, without the blockers surrounding your mind."

Rex stared at her, searching for any sense that she was lying. When he found none, he felt his own confidence surge.

He was a defect. A bad batch clone. An anomaly. He'd walked off Kamino without being able to handle trauma the same as his brothers. With Shaak Ti wishing him luck and telling him to prove everyone wrong. He'd survived so many deaths, so many battles, and so much trauma. He'd become a captain. Led the greatest army in the Republic. Worked under the best generals there were.

He could handle this.

"Let's do this," said Rex.

And so the bad batch and Vos prepped him for surgery. They laid him down in the treehouse and set up all the machines that would be needed. They were a mishmash of scrap parts, but Tech assured him that they would all work perfectly.

Ahsoka stood next to him, her fingers tangled with his for comfort.

"Are you ready?" asked Vos.

Rex started to nod, only to hesitate.

"One last question," he said. Vos gestured for him to ask it. But Rex turned his attention to Ahsoka, not to Vos.

"What?" asked Ahsoka.

Rex said, "Why did you come for me? You were free. You were going to save the galaxy your own way. Coming after me, on Kamino, you could have died. And you had no guarantee that I wasn't already dead." The words tumbled out of him, shaky and fast. "Why would you do that?"

Ahsoka smiled.

* * *

 **Then**

The Jedi Council stared Rex down as they asked him question after question about his actions near the bar the previous night.

"You are aware of the rules, are you not, Captain?" asked General Windu.

Rex nodded. "Of course, sir," he replied.

"Then why do you and Commander Tano assist the Twi'lek woman in the streets? That was a direct violation of your orders, as well as the laws of the GAR," said General Windu.

Commander Tano went to speak, but Rex cut her off.

"It was my idea, sir. I saw her in the street, injured and with two children. I couldn't leave her. Commander Tano was unaware of the law regarding field medics and work on Coruscant. I convinced her to ask Kix for assistance, knowing he wouldn't argue a direct order from a Jedi," said Rex. His words were firm and confident. There was no room for argument in his tone.

"I'm disappointed in you, Captain," said General Secura. "We had thought you would make an excellent Commander, but with this infraction on your record…"

General Windu finished her thought. "You will not be allowed to be promoted, after this. And you will remain on probation for two Coruscant weeks. You will not leave the planet until then."

"You can be Senator Amidala's personal bodyguard until then," said General Skywalker. "I'm sure she'll enjoy the company."

Rex nodded. "Yes, sirs," he said.

"Dismissed, you two are," said Master Yoda.

Rex and Commander Tano left the council chambers. Once they were out of earshot of the room, Commander Tano grabbed Rex by the shoulder and spun him around. She was scowling at him.

"Why would you do that?" asked Commander Tano. "Why would you give up a promotion – an unprecedented one at that – to help me?"

Rex smiled at his commander, his eyes soft. She was so young, but the war would age her, just as it aged everyone else.

"You didn't know," said Rex. "And I agreed."

"But…" Commander Tano trailed off.

"It's quite simple, sir. We stand together. That's what brothers do."

"Brothers," echoed Commander Tano.

"And sisters," added Rex. He held out his hand to her, fingers splayed. "Vode An."

Commander Tano splayed her fingers with his. "Vode An," she echoed. "Thank you."

* * *

 **Now**

Ahsoka smiled at Rex and took one of her hands from his.

"Because we stand together, Rex. It's what we've always done. It's what brothers and sisters do," she said. She held out her hand to Rex, fingers splayed. "Vode An."

Rex pressed his fingers to hers and grinned. "Vode An."

He nodded to Vos, who placed a hand on Rex's forehead. "See you when you wake up," said Vos. Rex felt his mind grow heavy with peace and sleep. And as he drifted, the last thing he saw was Ahsoka, smiling at him, and their hands, pressed together in the symbol of brothers.


	12. Chapter 12: Understand

**Author's Note:** Another late chapter, but I swear it was worth the extra day. I was out for most of yesterday (date~) and didn't get the chance to finish the edits for this chapter. It's much stronger with them. We're coming up to some pretty incredible chapters - particularly chapter 15 and the ones surrounding it. However, don't think the ones before it aren't just as important. 12, 13, and 14 all have a huge roll in the next parts of the story, even if it's not always immediately evident.

Anyway, I want to thank everyone who left feedback on the last chapter. I don't think I got a chance to respond to all of you because of the review sync issue, but now that is fixed, so I can chat again!

So, if you like this chapter, please leave a review!

* * *

 **Chapter Twelve: Understand**

 _Rex_

 **Now**

Flicker flashes of memories flooded what few senses remained. He saw Master Ti, crouching in front of him when he was a child. A smile. A warmth.

He saw General Kenobi, cradling a fallen child in the midst of a battle field. Felt the surge of anger that ripped through the general before he set down the child. Tasted the iron in the air when Kenobi found the men who'd murdered the child.

He saw General Skywalker staring at Senator Amidala. Saw the softness in his eyes and the warmth in his smile. Heard the love and concern that coated every word. Knew that he could never acknowledge it, for fear of having General Skywalker ripped from everything he loved.

He saw Ahsoka fall. He saw Ahsoka arrested. He saw Ahsoka when the galaxy had turned against her. Knew he would be branded a traitor for what he was about to do to save her.

He saw Barriss Offee take ownership of the deaths of dozens of his men. Saw her snap and snarl in her rantings about peace and prosperity in the Order even while she confessed to cold-blooded murder. Knew that she was breaking Ahsoka's heart in her confessions.

He saw Nala Se and her assistant. Saw their eyes go wide when they realized Rex was going to kill them. Felt the life leave their bodies by his hands. Saw the twist of their necks. Unnatural and broken.

He saw everything he'd ever done. Felt every emotion he'd ever felt. Tasted every death he'd ever dealt. Knew every knowing he'd ever known. And when he thought it was over, when he thought he was out of things to see, he _saw._

* * *

 **Then**

"CT-7567, what are you doing?" The voice belonged Bric, one of the bounty hunters supposed to train the clones. CT-7567 shoved at the brothers – ha, that was a _stretch_ – who had him shoved against a wall. He growled at them. They smirked.

Sith, he wished he was bigger. Wish they didn't have twenty pounds on him. Wished it wasn't an _anomaly_ for him to be so much smaller than them.

"Nothing, sir," said CT-7567, his voice still tight and cracking from accelerated puberty. He scowled at the other clones and shoved them again. This time they released him.

"Good. Now, keep it that way." Bric vanished even before he finished speaking.

"What's the matter, freak, gonna cry?" said one of the clones. The others snickered behind him. "Afraid we're going to hurt you? Wanna cry for your _mama_?"

One of the others piped up, "Yeah, where is General Ti, doesn't she usually follow you around to wipe your nose?"

CT-7567 scowled at them. Clenched his fists. He would not give in. He would _not_ let them rile him up.

The leader of the clones smirked at him. "We all know why you _really_ want to be around her," he said, leering.

CT-7567 saw red. In an instant, he roared, lunged forward, and went straight for the other clone's stomach in a hard tackle. _No one_ spoke about General Ti like that.

* * *

 **Now**

Rex swam back to consciousness slowly. The galaxy spread out beneath his fingertips. He felt everything around him. Saw everything he could see. Vos was nearby. His musk and darkness was bloated in the Force, leaving trails of chaos and rust everywhere he went. Ahsoka stood closer, her own crackling of electricity sharp and tangy. Then, there were others as well – the sour of metal, the chuckle of a sniper about to make a kill, the feeling of dirt beneath your fingernails and a weight on your shoulders, and the howling of a wind pressed close to ear, its breeze carrying the scent of carrion.

They were the signatures of the Bad Batch. Dissimilar to Jedi, but existing all the same. It appeared that Force sensitivity didn't dictate if you could be felt in the Force. At least, not at this proximity.

With a great deal of effort, Rex opened his eyes. His eyelashes fluttered against his cheeks. His breathing came soft and even. He squinted at the light as it flooded his eyes. Brought up a hand slowly to guard himself. There was the scent of blood and dust and ash on his fingers. He jerked his hand away, eyes growing wide.

The world sharpened into an impossible amount of colours, scents, and sounds. Rex's stomach heaved. He jerked upright, pressed his hands to his head and his elbows to his knees. He wasn't sure if there was anything in his stomach to heave, but he didn't want to take a chance. Everything swam and bled together until he couldn't tell up from down or light from dark.

"Easy, Rex." A cool hand on his upper back. Ahsoka's soft voice sounded in his ear. She stroked his back. "You'll be okay. How do you feel?" There was a calmness spreading through his mind – a touch from Ahsoka that calmed the storm for only a second. Slowly, his vision and mind cleared enough for him to see.

How did he feel? The question echoed in his mind. Rex opened his eyes and stared at his hands. He could pick out every single tiny scar and mark on them. Could count the freckles born by time in the sun without gloves. Could see each callous and feel every tiny breeze upon them.

And the _colours_. Had ever such colours existed in the world? Had he ever truly seen brown before? Or pink? Or the green and grey of his shirt? The touched faded and the world swam into stark contrasts and bleeding colours again.

"I don't know." His voice was hoarse and worn, barely a whisper. When he opened his mouth to speak, a thousand flavours flooded his taste buds. The overripe of fruit, the musk of the jungle, the scent of mud and waste carried up from the jungle floor. Hundreds of others he didn't dare try to make sense of, for fear of losing his mind.

"Vos!" The shout was faraway. Rex saw the world through a tunnel, drifting and sliding away from him. He reached out, only to find himself falling. He tumbled down and down…

And then he was caught. Strong arms wrapped around his middle. Hands shifted to his face. Callouses brushed his cheeks. A thumb stroked his cheekbone. It was a familiar gesture that tasted of milk and maternity. Of love and protection. It mixed with the new musk and darkness that coated his tongue around Vos.

Memories surged up to meet him.

Eyes. Black as night. Then, fading to dark brown underscored by hints of yellow. Dreadlocks hung just above them. They flickered into blue and white striped montrails, then back to dreadlocks. Rex saw his reflection in those eyes. And that reflection repeated over and over until he could see everything he'd ever been.

Him, a child no more than two feet tall. Then taller, then taller. His brothers abandoning him, mocking him. The exam he took alone. Master Ti saving his life. The first time he'd dyed his hair. The time he'd saved… no. Not that. Not yet.

Faster and faster the images passed by in those dark brown eyes. Until Rex's entire world narrowed down to those eyes and the calloused hands upon his cheeks. Until there was nothing more in the galaxy than the connection between him and the one who'd caught him. Between him and… _he couldn't remember their name._

"Sleep," said a deep, rumbling voice. "Dream. And when you wake, you will be fine." He saw yellow tattooed cheeks. He saw dark brown eyes. He saw dreadlocks and pulsing energy that surrounded every action of this man. He saw darkness that threatened to consume but was never allowed. Was always fought against.

And then he saw nothing but the endless oblivion of sleep.

* * *

 **Then**

Rex closed his eyes and leaned against the wall of the ship. He tried not to shake but it was a losing battle. Everything was loud and awful and terrifying. Too many emotions, smells, and sounds surrounded him with every second. The entire ship was pulsing beneath his fingertips and damn it all if he didn't want to reach out and shut it all off.

"Rex?" The voice called out through the abandoned cargo bay. Rex slunk further down on the wall until he was sitting. His elbows rested across his knees.

"Rex?" called the voice again. It solidified into Ahsoka's. Rex opened his eyes and sighed.

"Over here!" He cringed. Even that slight shout made his head throb even more than it already was. "Damn it," he hissed, pressing his fingers to his temple.

Ahsoka came around a few crates into Rex's vision. He didn't bother to hide the pain that no doubt surrounded him.

"What happened?" asked Ahsoka.

"How do you do it?" asked Rex, ignoring her question.

Ahsoka blinked. "Do what?"

"How do you deal with all the _noise_?" His voice cracked on the last word, betraying what little control he had left on his actions and body.

Ahsoka's eyes softened. "Oh, Rex." Was that pity in her tone? He didn't know. Found he didn't much care. She crouched down beside him and rested her hand on his knee.

"Look at me," she said. There was no command in her voice, but Rex felt compelled to look anyway. She was his superior. Every request was a command. Even now, the Force in his veins and _something_ in his heart, his training created the kneejerk reaction to obey everything his superiors said.

Rex felt a soft brush against his mind as Ahsoka said, "The only way to block out the noise is to learn to meditate. To learn to find a single point in the chaos to focus on."

"A light in the dark," murmured Rex, echoing something he'd heard General Kenobi tell General Skywalker once.

Ahsoka smiled. "Yes, just like that."

She wrapped her fingers in his and tugged him forward. Rex followed obediently until he was resting cross-legged on the floor, directly across from Ahsoka. She turned his hands over so his palms faced the ceiling and his hands rested on his knees. Then, she pressed her own palms into his and uncurled her fingers.

"Breathe with me," she said, her voice impossibly quiet in the vast cargo bay. "See if you can match my breathing. And close your eyes first."

Rex raised an eyebrow. How was he supposed to match her breathing if he couldn't see or hear it? Through her hands? Surely she wasn't serious. But, she looked quite serious, and so Rex closed his eyes, shifted into the meditative stance Ahsoka had taught him months ago, and listened.

At first, he felt nothing of Ahsoka's breathing and merely tried to keep his own slow and even.

Then, ever so slowly, Ahsoka's presence bloomed into his awareness in a way she never had before. A beacon in the shadows of his mind, so to speak. A crackling of electricity that raced up his arms and tickled a part of his mind he hadn't known existed until now. She sat, perched in that area of his awareness. And Rex knew, are surely as he knew his own name, exactly how to match her breathing.

And he also knew, just as surely, that this new awareness absolutely terrified him.

* * *

 **Now**

The second time Rex awoke, he was much calmer. The colours were still too bright, the edges of his vision still too sharp, but now he had the awareness to handle it. There was no whizzing of his mind, no blooming awareness that threatened to overwhelm anything else. He was here and now, in the present and in his body, not floating off somewhere like a lost child in an active war zone.

He sat up, careful to mind his head, just in case. The treehouse was as silent as a jungle dwelling treehouse on Kashyyyk could be. The animals and insects nearby hummed, the wind whispered in the trees, and the light filtered through the leaves in an impossibly peaceful and beautiful way. Rex sat in the centre of it all, breathing deeply. With every inhale, his awareness expanded to brush the edges of the jungle. Touching the trees and the insects, and the light and the smells and the wind. With every exhale, he released some of the tension in his body, until he felt just as peaceful as the jungle around him felt. He closed his eyes, took a few more breaths. He could smell life – both new and old – and he could sense both fear and contentment in equal parts.

Rex stood up, one hand splayed on the log post beside him for stability. He shook his head, another slow, careful motion, to clear the rest of the fog. Then, he went to find the others.

He passed across bridges, down two sets of ladders, and around an old balcony. He found them two storeys down, where he could sense their Force signatures, perched in a workshop around Tech as he fiddled with the holocron. Rex noticed that his other bag – the one with the medallion and the metal tubes – was tucked underneath the desk. He couldn't help but smile, it was nice to know he hadn't lost everything he'd had on Kamino and Coruscant.

"Hey, Rex, how're you feeling?" asked Ahsoka, glancing up as he walked onto the platform. The others gave him a measured look – except Tech, who was hunched over the holocron and speaking excitedly in a low voice to Vos.

Rex rolled his shoulders to get rid of some of the stiffness. "Better," he said, after a moment. Then, even though he wasn't sure he wanted to know, "What happened, when I first woke up?"

"The chip was dulling your Force abilities, making everything bleed through only in the extremes," said Vos, without looking up from his and Tech's work. "That's why you got so powerful when you were angry. And why meditation didn't make you more powerful, but stress did. Once we got rid of that…" Vos shrugged. "Well, you saw what happened."

 _Saw_ was putting it lightly.

"Force," breathed Rex, shaking his head. Stress not meditation? That explained a lot about Coruscant and Kamino, actually. He'd have to work on that. "So what's going to happen now?"

Vos grinned and turned away from the workbench. He spread his hands as he said, "You're a free man now, Captain. Wanted, but free. What do you want to do?"

There was no hesitation as Rex said, "I want to open that holocron."

Tech piped up and said, "Well, I think I can get through the first layer of security without the Force, but it'll be more difficult after that. I don't know if it's even possible for me to get through the rest on my own." He grinned. "Doesn't mean I won't try, though."

"Even that is incredible, Tech, thank you," said Vos, laying a hand on Tech's shoulder. He stood and walked over to Rex. Vos folded his arms across his chest. He gave Rex a once over, his eyes faraway and sharp all at once. There was something searching in that gaze, and equal parts amused as well. It made Rex uneasy.

"You feel that?" asked Vos, tossing the question over his shoulder with a slight tip of his head. Even as he spoke, he didn't take his eyes off Rex. There was a slight twitch of a smile on Vos' face.

Ahsoka grinned as she stood and placed herself next to Rex. "Yeah, I do," said Ahsoka. She walked over to Rex and grabbed his arm, still grinning up at him.

"What?" asked Rex.

"Congratulations, Rex, you officially have a unique Force signature. It's not just an amalgamation of mine, Anakin's, and Master Kenobi's," said Ahsoka. She was practically bouncing as she spoke.

Rex's eyebrows shot up. He shifted his stance, his tone almost hopeful as he spoke. His signature had been an amalgamation before? He didn't know that was possible. And now it wasn't? He couldn't help wanting to know what that meant. What he was like. Was he like the electricity of Ahsoka, or the musk of Vos, or the maternity of Shaak Ti?

"What do I feel like?" he asked.

"That's up to you to find out," said Vos, shrugging. "You'll see it, eventually."

"Yeah, Rex, don't want to ruin the surprise," said Ahsoka.

Rex sighed and nodded. "All right, all right." But he couldn't help in being disappointed.

"Boss, I think I got it," called Tech, distracting Rex from his formulating a plan to convince Ahsoka to tell him what his Force signature felt like.

Everyone crowded around the holocron as Tech lifted it into the air. The holocron began to glow. It lifted off of Tech's hand and rotated slowly. A layer of metal lifted off the holocron and tucked itself into the middle, revealing a tighter layer of metal and glowing blue energy.

"Ta-da," said Tech, grinning.

Rex reached out to the holocron. Felt the darkness surge forward to greet him. It wrapped around his arm and slammed into his eyes.

He saw Coruscant, burning. Saw Jedi, falling. Saw his brothers, dying.

There were screams of innocents. Senator Amidala's voice stood out amongst them. Her eyes stared pleading at Rex, floating above Coruscant. Then, a pair of yellow eyes, juxtaposed with Padmé's own. Horrifically familiar and terrifyingly distant, all at once.

A shout. He fell. He stared into Quinlan Vos' eyes. The man was holding him. It seemed to be becoming something of a habit.

"Are you okay?"

Rex grimaced and let Vos help him up. He shook his head and rubbed his face.

"I was right," said Rex, his voice hoarse. "The holocron is Sith plans. If we can open it, we can find out all the Sith's secrets."

Ahsoka clapped him on the shoulder. "Then let's keep going, between us and Tech, we can do it."

"Roger that, sir," said Tech. He gave her a salute, and the three Force sensitive members of the team gathered around Tech to help out.

Soon, they would have all the answers they needed.


	13. Chapter 13: Flee

**Author's Note:** Thanks to everyone for the feedback! Y'all are amazing, no lie. Reading your reviews makes me want to write this story even more than I already do!

This chapter might have one of my favourite atmospheres and overall feelings. It turned out exactly the way I wanted it to. What more could you want?

Reviews and constructive feedback welcome!

* * *

 **Chapter Thirteen: Flee**

 _Rex_

 **Now**

Rex awoke to a spine-breaking pain that seared from head to toe and the smell of smoke deep within his throat. He jerked, the pain splitting his head wide open and throwing his perception upside down for a moment. He opened his eyes. Darkness. Too complete for the nighttime jungle of Kashyyyk. The smell of smoke. The taste of charred meat. Flesh?

 _Fire._

Rex scrambled to his feet, heedless of the pain that roared across his skull and temporarily blocked out all sound. Force, what was that _pain_? Where could it be coming from?

He looked around, reached out in the Force… _pain, suffering, lose_. No. _Hell_. What had happened? What had he missed?

He yanked on his boots and bolted for the stairs connected to his sleeping platform. Leapt the stairs and touched down, silently, on the platform below. Vos' bed lay empty, the sheets burned and full of holes and burn marks. _Where was he?_

"Ahsoka!" he shouted. Smoke forced its way into his lungs with the shout and Rex gave a few deep, racking coughs. He shuddered, cursed lowly. Kept moving. He leaped to the next platform. Nearly fell in. Half of it burned away. _Shit._

Where was everyone? He didn't dare touch the Force again. There was too much pain within it. Too many animals were dying. No, he'd have to do this the old fashioned way.

Rex dropped another level, swung across a half torched bridge, and hit the central platform. Now he could feel the heat of the fire. Now he could see the red and orange through the deep, grey smoke.

There was still no sign of anyone else. Rex kept looking.

* * *

 **Then**

The distant booms of cannon fire were slowly getting closer. Rex sat across from General Kenobi in a tiny, underground cave. There was no light. There was no fire. Rex was slowly growing colder and colder as time went on. General Kenobi meditated across from him. Rex tried not to think too much about what they were stuck in, but it was a losing battle.

They were trapped. All the men they'd brought with them were dead. General Skywalker, Ahsoka, and Cody were nowhere to be found. Their coms were dead.

"With respect, sir," said Rex in a hoarse voice. "I'm not sure we're going to survive this."

General Kenobi hummed and leaned back against the cave wall. He opened his eyes and, in the very slim light in the cave, Rex saw General Kenobi's sad and tired eyes.

"There's no Force on this planet," said General Kenobi. "I cannot feel it nor access it." He shook his head. "I've never felt so blind, so alone, in my entire life."

Rex said nothing. He knew little of the Force. Knew little of what it meant or what it was capable of. Ahsoka had offered to tell him some things, once, even asked if he wanted to learn to meditate. But Rex had always been too busy and hadn't had the chance.

But if the Force was anything like companionship, or anything like Rex's connection to his brothers, then Rex thought he could sympathize. Sure, the Force was probably a lot more powerful and a lot less visible than that connection, but Rex thought that, maybe, he was on the right track. In which case, Rex felt almost as alone as General Kenobi.

"I can't even tell if Anakin is alive," said General Kenobi, staring up at the ceiling of their cave.

"I'm sure he's fine, sir," said Rex.

General Kenobi stared at him. "How can you have so much faith, if you cannot feel it?" he asked.

Rex shrugged. "Sir, General Skywalker is too stubborn to die."

"True enough," said General Kenobi, a touch of his usual dryness in his tone. Rex thought General Kenobi might have smirked for a moment, like he usually did, but Rex couldn't be sure.

"How do you do it, Captain?" asked General Kenobi.

"Do what, sir?" asked Rex.

General Kenobi sighed. "Be… alone. Without the company of a presence always close by."

Rex thought about it for a few minutes. Then, he said, "I'm never alone, sir, not until I'm the last clone alive. And maybe not even then." He shrugged, though he doubted General Kenobi could see it. "I live and breathe with my men. When I'm not with them, I know I'll be with them soon. It's simple, for us, that way."

General Kenobi chuckled. "That is a wonderful way to think, Rex, I might have to adopt it."

* * *

 **Now**

There had to be a way to find everyone, Rex thought, as he crawled along the platforms on his belly. The smoke was too thick for him to walk anymore. And, this way, if something fell, he had a better chance at grabbing support on the way down.

But no matter how many times he told himself he could find them, Rex couldn't shake the feeling that he was alone. He'd forsaken the Republic, abandoned his brothers, and left the Jedi. He'd learned of a conspiracy and never finished his research for Fives.

 _Fives_. Rex's head jerked around. In the smoke, he could see his dead brothers marching. The Force was too strong in this area of the jungle. Even forcing as much of it away as he could, Rex was still watching his dead brothers in the smoke.

He saw boots. Looked up to see Fives standing over him. Alternating between bald and with hair. Tattoo and no. He flickered. Suddenly was Echo.

Echo opened his mouth and a brain worm from Geonosis slithered out of his mouth. Dropped with a splat to the wood beneath his feet. The worm lunged for Rex.

Rex jerked back, yelped, and scrambled away from the worm. His hand slipped into a splintered bit of wood. _Too much weight_ , his mind screamed. Then he was falling, crashing, through the burned and weakened wood.

Slammed hard onto his back on another platform. Air gone out of his lungs. Head swimming from the fall. From the smoke. From the… _Force_ what was going on?

He clambered to his feet, everything shaking. His head swum and so did the world. He was low enough now that he could stand without smoke, thankfully. Rex tried a few deep breaths and ended up coughing on the heat. He swallowed hard and licked his lips – found both his lips and mouth too dry to make a difference.

 _Where was everyone?_

The thunk-thunk-thunk of measured steps reached his ears above the roar of the fire. _Clankers_. Rex jerked hard at the realization and looked up, toward the sound. Eyes going wide, he stared up and spotted a pair of Commandos marching along one of the bridges.

Then, he heard the familiar clunk- _hiss_ of a respirator system. Rex ducked into a small hut that sat on the platform he'd fallen on. Sure enough, along the same bridge only moments later, Rex spotted General Grievous marching with his droids.

Rex grimaced and looked around for something to use as a weapon. There were no blasters in this area, he knew. Vos kept them in the workshop platform, where Tech was keeping…

 _Sith._ The holocron was still there. Rex needed to get to it before Grievous did. But what about the others? Where were they?

Rex crept out from the hut and started toward the workshop platform. Based on the colours of the huts – and assuming that they hadn't been burned to hell and back – he was one level down and three platforms over from the workshop platform. And, thinking about it, how in the hell had Vos built such a huge set of platforms? Why had he? Where…

Never mind, it wasn't important. If he found Vos, he'd ask him.

Rex moved through the platforms carefully. The fires roared above him. The smoke slowly sunk toward him. The droids and his dead brothers marched interchangeably in the smoke. Rex avoided them all. There were no friends in this smoke. Only foes.

* * *

 **Then**

Coruscant was never truly silent, Rex knew, but this high up, on the roof of this building, it was almost there. He leaned against the railing and let the breeze run across the top of his head and lift the edge of his military issued civilian clothes.

"Sir?" Rex turned at the voice to find Fives, still in armour, standing at the doorway to the roof. Rex inclined his head toward the railing, gesturing for Fives to come forward. Fives did, but it was very hesitant and slow.

"Could I speak with you?" asked Fives, only having moved halfway across the roof.

Rex nodded. "Of course."

More silence. Fives crossed the distance between himself and Rex and stood next to the railing. He didn't lean against the railing, like Rex. And that, combined with Fives being in armour and Rex in civvies, meant that Fives had a good three inches on Rex. It had been a long time since Rex had had to look up to his brothers, but, while he expected it to bring up unpleasant memories, he found himself fine with the perspective.

"There's something that's been bothering me, since Echo's…" Fives trailed off. Rex nodded again. Echo's death. He knew it was hard for Fives to talk about it. Fives was the only member of Domino left now. Rex knew what that was like. He was the only clone in the seven thousand series still alive, after all. Though most of them had never made it off Kamino. And the rest had died long before he lost his Shiny status.

"What is it?" asked Rex.

"The Kaminoans said something, when we stopped off there. And. They said that Echo and I… that you…" Fives' words were halting and shaking, but, more than that, there was fear behind. Rex was reminded of Echo, who had asked him about their heads, so long ago. Rex had gone looking for information. Had found it. Had never gotten a chance to tell Echo. Could he tell Fives?

"What did they say?" asked Rex, ignoring his own internal monologue.

"They said you were a bad batcher, like us," said Fives. "And… they said they never should have let you off Kamino." Fives frowned at Rex, his eyes narrowed and his helmet tucked under one arm. "Is that true, sir?"

Rex sighed. Trust the Kaminoans to tell a brother something that was none of his business.

"I'm the only seven thousand still alive," said Rex, in a voice too similar to his debriefing tone. "About half of us committed suicide – most of them on Kamino. We're emotional defects, Fives, we care too much."

"There's no such thing," said Fives, wrinkling his nose. "Is there?"

Rex smiled, sadly. "Yeah, there is." He looked out over the Coruscant skyline. Let the sunset and the wind block out what it could. Flicker-flashes of memories he'd rather forget passed behind his eyes.

"Was that all, Fives?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," said Fives. He turned and went back inside, leaving Rex alone on the roof.

* * *

 **Now**

The workshop platform wasn't abandoned. The smoke was thick, rising up from Rex's knees and swirling far above his head. Rex stayed close to the edges, where he could duck behind support posts whenever necessary.

So, when he reached the platform, Rex was prepared for droids. He wasn't prepared for the Twi'lek woman that sat in the chair Tech had occupied only days ago. She turned when Rex stepped onto the platform and smiled, all teeth, at him.

"Is this what you're looking for?" she asked, holding up the holocron.

Rex stopped, maybe fifteen feet back from the woman, and stood his ground. "You're not real," he said.

The woman laughed. "Well, that depends on a great deal, does it not?" Her accent was thick, like she'd spent too much time on Ryloth as a child. "But tell me, how do you figure?"

"Because I killed you," said Rex.

The woman raised an eyebrow. She bounced the holocron from hand to hand. "Fair enough," she said. "So what does that make your holocron?"

"I don't know," said Rex, frowning. He could deal with his brothers. With the constant reappearances of Echo. But this? This was too much.

"No? Hmm. Too bad." She shook her head, frowning as if she was disappointed in the response. "And you?" she asked. "What does all this," she waved at the platforms, the smoke, and herself, "mean, if you can't tell real from false unless you've killed it."

Rex shook his head. "I'll figure it out," he said.

The woman chuckled. She stood, crossed the platform, and dropped the holocron into Rex's hands. He could _feel_ it. "Well then, Captain," she said in his ear, breath ghosting his cheek. "Good luck." She pecked his cheek and vanished, dissipating into the smoke that surrounded them.

Rex looked down at his hands. The holocron was gone.

"I hate this planet," he muttered, shaking his head. He crossed the platform on quick feet and dug around everything for the holocron. It wasn't there. Rex swore and looked under the table. The bag – the one with the metal tubes – was gone as well. That made him frown. There was no reason for the droids to take the bag. Unless they wanted his medallion, but it was just a normal medallion.

"Rex!" Rex's head swung around. Up three platforms and over two, he saw the unmistakable shadow of Ahsoka. Her voice echoed in his ears. But was she real? How could he tell?

But even as the thought occurred to him, he knew she was real. He felt in, deep within him. Felt it the same way he felt his connection to his brothers.

Rex took off for her shadow.

* * *

 **Then**

The swamps of Kashyyyk gave way to solid ground as Rex and Ahsoka headed into the small village of treehouse platforms.

It took over an hour of knocking on doors, climbing ladders, walking bridges, and arguing with the locals to find the platform hut they were looking for. The Togruta that answered the door wasn't what Rex expected, but he hid his surprise easily enough.

"Gwaina?" asked Ahsoka.

The woman narrowed her eyes, still holding tight to her door and peering through the slit. "Depends who's asking."

"My name is Ahsoka Tano, I'm a Jedi padawan. I've been sent from Coruscant to oversee the trial of one Ayla Yinsin," said Ahsoka. Gwaina said nothing. "I believe you are a key witness in proving Ayla's innocence."

The woman went to close the door. "I ain't talkin' in no trial."

Ahsoka caught the door. "Please," said Ahsoka. "We need your help. Without you, Ayla will be executed in less than twenty four hours."

"If I protest," said the woman through the thinnest slit in her door. "The people who did kill those Wookiees will come after me. How do I know I won't die on the stand?"

"We'll protect you," said Ahsoka. "You just need to protest the claim that she's the murderer and we'll take care of everything else."

Rex looked between the slowly growing slit in the door and Ahsoka. He couldn't believe how calm and patient Ahsoka sounded.

"You swear?" asked Gwaina.

"I swear," said Ahsoka. She reached out toward the door and held out one hand, palm up. "Just, have a little faith, okay?"

Hesitantly, Gwaina opened the door and took Ahsoka's hand. "Okay."

* * *

 **Now**

Rex leaped over the bridge as it fell, burning, into the burning jungle below. He swung himself up the last platform and touched down in the smoke where he'd seen Ahsoka.

"Ahsoka!" he shouted. A hand grabbed his arm and hauled him backward into the thinner parts of the smoke. Rex's eyes blurred from the smoke, and when they cleared, he was staring at Ahsoka. She wore his bag across her shoulders.

"There you are," said Ahsoka. "Thank the Force. I was beginning to think everyone was captured."

Droid steps behind them. The two headed for another platform. They ran and leaped over another platform, breathing hard.

"Where are the others?" asked Rex when they reached the next platform. He and Ahsoka flattened themselves against a hut as another set of droids went marching by.

Once they were gone, Ahsoka said, "I don't know. I can't find them and the Force…" She shook her head. Rex saw the fear in her eyes. "It's a mess, Rex. All I can see is _Deathwatch_." Her voice broke on the last word. Rex looked over Ahsoka's shoulder. Echo smirked at him.

"I know what you mean," said Rex, pointedly turning his gaze back to Ahsoka. "I don't know how much of this is real anymore, either."

The two crept around a couple of huts and managed to get to a bridge. It swung, precariously, so high above the jungle floor that the floor disappeared into smoke and fire. Rex had no idea what was down there.

"Seize them!" The shout came from General Grievous, who landed on one end of the bridge. Instantly, dozens of droids appeared in the smoke, all aiming their blasters at Rex and Ahsoka.

"Surrender," said General Grievous. "Or die."

Rex stared at Echo, who stood behind General Grievous.

Echo raised an eyebrow at him. "Now what?" asked Echo.

"Now what?" Rex asked Ahsoka.

She looked at the approaching Grievous on one side, to the droids on the other, to the ground far below.

She said, "We only have option." Ahsoka held out her hand to Rex.

"We'll die," said Rex.

Ahsoka smiled at him, tight and terrified. "Have a little faith," she said.

Rex nodded and took her hand. Together, they jumped, just as Grievous ignited his lightsabers. Rex and Ahsoka fell down and down toward the smoke and the fire and the hallucinations from the Force. And in that moment, the only thing Rex knew was real was the feel of Ahsoka's hand in his, and the absolute terror that threatened to swallow him whole.


	14. Chapter 14: Slip

**Author's Note:** There's a lot of things I could say about these next two chapters. I could tell you about how they're probably going to be shorter than the rest, at between 2-2.5k words. I could tell you about how they're the turning points in the story - the moment when everything I've built upon starts to amp up. I could tell you how I'm terrified about these chapters, because even though I love them, I don't know if you will.

But then, I realized they can probably speak for themselves.

As always, thank you to everyone who left feedback, and I urge you to leave reviews, constructive crits, anything, for the next two chapters, as they're ones I'm very worried about. Thanks!

* * *

 **Chapter Fourteen: Slip**

 _Rex_

 **Now**

They ran. They ran because what else were they supposed to do? The droids were hot in pursuit. Grievous was screaming obscenities as he chased them. Kashyyyk burned all around them. So what were they to do, but run?

Ahsoka and Rex tore through the jungle side by side. The fast, harsh beating of Rex's heart was matched only by his sharp, laboured breathing. He and Ahsoka leaped. Touched down in a tree. Leaped from branch to branch with the Force their only safety net. Not out of range of the blasters. But easier to hide this way.

The tree they were in wobbled. Fire engulfed its canopy. They leaped. Hit the ground and rolled. Were back up in an instant and gone again.

* * *

 **Then**

Rex stood with his hands clasped behind his back in General Kenobi's quarters on their ship. But it wasn't General Kenobi that stood before him, no, it was General Windu. Rex's jaw was clenched in an attempt to keep him from saying something he'd regret. His hands clenched into fists to hide their shaking.

He knew what this was about. But he didn't know why it was General Windu of all people who was telling him. Couldn't shake the taste of the word _coward_ whenever he thought it should have been one of _his_ generals standing there, and not this man he barely knew.

"Dogma is being decommissioned," said General Windu.

Rex managed a tight nod. His lip trembled from the effort of not saying anything unbecoming.

"He was a good soldier," Rex bit out. "He'll be missed."

General Windu scowled at him. "He was a renegade. He killed a Jedi."

"He killed a Sith," Rex replied, unable to keep the bite out of his voice.

"We could have questioned Krell, found out what he was planning," said General Windu.

"He would have killed us all," Rex said.

General Windu took two menacing steps toward Rex. "Dogma is getting what he deserves for disobeying direct orders. He cannot be trusted. He cannot live. That is _final_ , captain."

Rex scowled. "With all due respect, sir, _fuck_ you," said Rex. He turned and stalked out of the room and toward the mess, ignoring General Windu's orders to return at once.

He had men to brief. They needed to prepare a funeral.

* * *

 **Now**

Rex passed Echo, leaning against a tree. His gaze jerked back to the man for only a second.

"You're running out of time," said Echo, his voice a whisper in Rex's ear. Rex shook it off. Kept running.

He and Ahsoka leaped over a fallen tree, still licked with fire. They swerved left, ducked beneath blaster fire. The pounding of their feet was nothing compared to the droids, but they were leaving a trail. One far too easy to follow.

"There's too many of them," said Ahsoka. "We can't outrun them forever."

"How are they tracking us?" asked Rex. "The path can't be doing it all!" The trees and the rivers and the fire should have covered enough. Droids were stupid.

Ahsoka dug into the side bag as she swung around a tree. She held out the holocron.

"The Dark Side," said Ahsoka. "Do you think…?" She trailed off, but Rex knew the question.

"I don't know," said Rex.

Ahsoka swallowed visibly.

"We better find out fast. Grievous is gaining," she said.

Rex nodded and picked up his pace. From the corner of his eye, he saw Echo watching them from his perch in the trees, one of his eye sockets empty and bloody.

* * *

 **Then**

"It was a mistake to ever let him off Kamino!" The sharp words of General Windu stopped Rex in his tracks. He flattened himself against the wall and waited with baited breath to hear more of the conversation around the corner.

"Now, let's not be rash," said General Kenobi.

"Rex is twice the clone any of yours ever will be," came General Skywalker's sharp reply. "He saved those men on Umbara."

"He is a disrespectful _brat_ ," snapped General Windu. "Not unlike yourself."

"Hey, great minds think alike." Rex swore he could hear the sarcastic grin in General Skywalker's voice. His own lips twitched into a slight smirk.

"Why you little…"

"That's enough," said General Kenobi, cutting off General Windu. Rex imagined General Kenobi had placed himself between the two arguing men. "What is all this about, Mace?"

"Captain Rex is disrespectful, overemotional, and attaches far too easily. He is a liability to the five-oh-first and the two-twelve," said General Windu. His voice was still tight.

"He's a good man," said General Skywalker.

"He's a 7000! There's no such thing! All of those men are dead, except Rex. There's a reason for that, Skywalker," said General Windu.

General Skywalker's voice rose as he spoke his next words. "If you're insinuating what I think you are-"

"Enough." Rex had never heard General Kenobi's voice so sharp. "Rex is not the one being decommissioned, that's Dogma. If he ever gets court marshalled, Mace, we'll hear your complaints. Until then, I suggest you keep your comments to yourself, unless you mean to cause unnecessary antagonism."

A pregnant pause.

"Fine," said General Windu.

"Great," said General Skywalker.

General Kenobi sighed. From his spot around the corner, Rex frowned, his shoulders slumping forward. Just how much trouble was he causing these days? And why were the generals standing up for him? He was just another captain, wasn't he?

* * *

 **Now**

A split second too late, Rex saw Echo standing in front of him. He started hard, stumbled, and flipped forward. Went tumbling and tumbling down a steep, mud-slicked hill.

"Rex!" shouted Ahsoka. But Rex couldn't call back. He slammed hard into the rocks at the bottom of the hill and stared at the two inches separating him from a seemingly endless ravine. He scooted back. Bumped into something. Looked up to see Echo staring down at him.

"You're running out of time," he said, again. And he grinned, all teeth, at Rex. And the maggots in his teeth fell onto Rex's shoulders and Rex scrambled backward, one hand slipping over the edge.

"What do you _want_?" hissed Rex. Echo kept grinning.

* * *

 **Then**

Mugs shattered as they hit the wall. Great, crashing sounds of synthetic ceramic that did nothing to quell the anger and hatred that roiled through Rex's veins. He screamed and threw another mug, then a plate, then a datapad. Tore at posters on the wall and flipped over the desk and shattered the light. But nothing helped.

When the room was destroyed, Rex collapsed to his knees and put his head in his hands. Blood oozed from the cuts on his hands. Tears oozed from his ears. He let out a broken, rolling sob and curled inward on himself.

 _Dogma was dead_. He'd received word maybe half an hour ago. Rex knew it was inevitable, but he hoped against hope that he'd managed to save Dogma. That his conversations with General Skywalker and General Kenobi hadn't been for naught. But they had.

Dogma was dead. Rex was guilty. The office was destroyed.

With another sob, Rex pressed his back to the wall and his forehead to his drawn up knees. He didn't move for hours after that.

* * *

 **Now**

Rex twisted around at the last second as he slipped over the edge and leaped. Wrapped the Force around himself to propel further than was physically possible. Came down too fast, too hard, and _there_. Managed to grab the edge of the cliff across the gorge. He hauled himself up just in time for Ahsoka to touch down next to him. She grabbed his arm and dragged him upright.

Blaster fire behind them. They hit the ground and crawled for trees. The bag at Ahsoka's side kept bumping into Rex.

"We need to do something," said Rex.

"Do we ditch the holocron or not?" asked Ahsoka.

Rex shook his head. "We can't risk it," he said. He got to his feet and ducked behind a tree. Ahsoka followed suit.

"If we lose them in the jungles, we should be okay," said Ahsoka.

"Right," said Rex. They started running again, heedless of the aches in their lungs and in their legs.

* * *

 **Then**

Fox was maybe a foot from Rex when he'd started speaking.

"Why is Wolffe still alive?" asked Fox. There was a sharpness in his voice that, coupled with his words, set Rex immediately on edge. He bristled, flexed his hands, and tried not to raise his voice.

"He survived the attack from Ventress," said Rex, simply.

Fox scowled. "He has a cybernetic eye. He's not full clone anymore." Rex scowled. Now that just wasn't fair. Losing an eye didn't make you less of a soldier.

"Fox," said Rex, a warning in his voice. He couldn't do much else, what with Fox technically being his commanding officer.

"There's never been another trooper given cybernetics and kept on active duty before," snapped Fox, taking a step toward Rex. They were inches away from each other now, and Rex stared at Fox's eyes, slightly darker than his own, with disdain. "It's not right."

And maybe he had a point. Maybe Wolffe was one of a kind. But General Plo _adored_ Wolffe, and Fox had no right to question whether or not General Plo had made a good decision.

"It ain't our job to choose," snapped Rex. "Why not be grateful that a good man is still with us?"

Fox snorted. "Anyone fucking their General isn't a good man," he sneered. "Just like Bly, that one." Fox gave him a flat look. "And maybe you, too."

"Bantha scum," snarled Rex, and slammed Fox into a wall.

It took three guys to pull Rex off of Fox, in the end. But because Rex had taken a couple of good hits, both were just let off with warnings. Rex vowed, then and there, to get Fox court marshalled if it killed him.

* * *

 **Now**

With a start, Ahsoka skid to a stop, mouth hanging open and eyes wide with fear. Rex managed to skid to a stop a few feet ahead of her and back tracked. Ahsoka was staring at nothing, but, in this jungle, that _nothing_ could be _everything_.

"Steela," breathed Ahsoka, and tears gathered in her eyes. "Force, I-" Her lip trembled.

Rex placed a hand on Ahsoka's shoulders.

"We have to keep moving," said Rex. "They're not real."

"What is real?" Rex wiped around to find Slick leaning against a tree. He was checking his blaster methodically, a terrible smirk on his lips.

Slick took a step forward and said, "Who's to say, sir?" He grinned, and his eyes went darker and darker until Rex was staring into an endless void. "Certainly not you."

"We need to move," managed Rex, his voice shaky. Ahsoka managed a nod and grabbed Rex's hand, the two climbed up into the trees. They jumped from tree to tree, never letting go of each other for more than a second.

Below them, blaster fire rang out, and, above them, the dead watched their hopeless endeavour.

* * *

 **Then**

Rex held Waxer's helmet with shaking hands. He stood outside the barracks for the two-twelve. Part of him was frozen in place, knowing the horror of what he was about to do. Another part of him knew that he _had_ to do this. That Boil deserved to know. No one would have told him yet – everyone else was still being debriefed or studied for "defects". Rex had been let off, but he knew no one was satisfied with his test results.

It didn't help that he'd memorized the answers to the psychiatric test a long time ago. Not that anyone but General Skywalker knew that. But then, General Skywalker had them memorized as well.

The door slid open and Rex stepped into the barracks. A handful of men sat around, but Rex only needed one of them.

Boil was tucked into his bunk, his back to the wall and his eyes closed. As Rex approached, he saw the minute shaking in Boil's hands. The slight tremble to his lip and twitch to his eyelids. Fear of the unknown after a battle – fear that came from not knowing who had died and who had lived – was as bad as any battle. Rex knew that as well as anyone.

"Boil," said Rex, his voice hoarse.

Boil's eyes fluttered open. A slow and sluggish gesture. He saw the helmet in Rex's hands and pressed his lips tightly together.

"Krell," managed Boil, his voice hoarse with anger and pain.

Rex nodded. "He tricked us. Made us fight each other. It was Waxer's death that drove us to take down Krell." He held out the helmet to Boil.

"Vode An," breathed Rex.

Boil took the helmet and blinked back tears. "Vode An," he said, voice breaking. He laid on his side, his back to Rex, and curled himself around the helmet. When his shoulders started to shake from silent sobs, Rex left.

This wasn't right. This wasn't _fair_. If the Jedi were good, how had they missed Krell? Why did his brothers have to die for _nothing_?

* * *

 **Now**

A sharp shot from a blaster took the branch out from underneath Ahsoka and Rex. With a shout, they went tumbling back into the undergrowth. Rex tried to scramble back to his feet and reached out toward Ahsoka, who was struggling. He got as far as his knees when the droids came out of the shadows.

They held their blasters at chest height and left a path clear as General Grievous approached.

"Hands in the air," said one droid.

"We got them, General," said another.

General Grievous chuckled as he limp-walked toward the two. Ahsoka groaned, still curled up on the jungle floor. Rex blinked hard as the world started to sway around him. What…?

Then, a great wave of fear and pain and _anger_ washed through his consciousness and sent him to his hands and knees. He blinked hard, gasping for air, but the darkness closed in around his mind. Begged him to give in.

He fell to the jungle floor just as the world went dark.


	15. Chapter 15: Plead

**Author's Note:** What do I say about this chapter? Well, for one thing, the reception to it is going to absolutely terrify me. This is a chapter that has to exist. A chapter that I have been working toward since the beginning, but that doesn't necessarily mean you are all going to take it well. Do I hope you will? Yes. But will you? Well, that's for you to decide.

This is the point of no return. And I honestly don't know how people will take it. I really hope y'all give me something to work on though, so I know if this chapter was worth the fear.

With that in mind, I have only one other thing to say: there's a reason every chapter started with whose point of view it was.

* * *

 **Chapter Fifteen: Plead**

 _Obi-Wan_

 **Now**

The coin turned over once, twice, three times in mid-air and came down at regular speed. Obi-Wan sighed as it dropped into his hand and rolled it over a few times. With his back pressed to the cool wall and his body resting on the uncomfortable cot, it was impossible to forget where he was: Coruscant's holding cells.

This cell had been designed with Jedi traitors in mind, and cut his grasp of the Force to nothing. He was alone and naked in the way that mattered most. And no one was coming to visit. But then, he didn't exactly blame them.

* * *

 **Then**

Obi-Wan stared out at the Coruscant sky, watching the speeders zip around. Their tail lights were hardly stars, but then, there were no stars on Coruscant. There never had been, no matter the time of day.

"Hello, Aayla," said Obi-Wan, absently. He felt more than heard her hesitation, behind him. The barest semblance of a smile crossed his features for a moment, the most expression he'd had in days.

"You seem troubled," she said, still behind him.

Obi-Wan stared out at the speeders and tried to ignore the tug in his belly that told him something was wrong Anakin. These days, there was always something wrong with Anakin. "That's stating the obvious, I'm afraid."

"Apologies," said Aayla. She took a place next to him and leaned on the balcony railing. Obi-Wan glanced at her and saw her right shoulder and right lekku were both bandaged. He remembered that she had just been on a mission. A dangerous one, no doubt, she always seemed to get those if Anakin and Obi-Wan weren't available. He thought it said something about her status as a Jedi that she was given things that typically took two.

There were a few minutes of silence between them. Eventually, whether by the drive of her curiosity or her discomfort at his quiet, Aayla spoke.

"Would you care to share your troubles?" asked Aayla.

Obi-Wan sighed. "It's Anakin."

"Isn't it always?" Aayla rose an eyebrow at him.

"Typically," said Obi-Wan. "Not that I fault him for it. He's dear to me." The words got another eyebrow raise from Aayla. Aayla was one of the few Jedi who didn't mind attachment – she and Bly were very close, after all – but she'd never admit it aloud. "But ever since Ahsoka left the Order, he's been disquieted. I can sense his distrust and frustration – much of it aimed at himself and the Council."

Aayla frowned at him. "The Council?" she echoed.

Ah, yes, thought Obi-Wan. Most weren't used to Anakin's mild distaste for the Council. Both Anakin and Obi-Wan tended to keep it to themselves, but guilt made Obi-Wan's tongue loosen.

"Ahsoka leaving – he blames it on them," said Obi-Wan.

"Obviously, they are to blame," said Aayla.

Obi-Wan managed the barest quirk of a smile at that comment. He should have expected such a reaction, she had been trained by Quinlan, after all. Reckless and sharp, just like Anakin, but tempered much more carefully. It was part of why he liked her so much.

"As am I," said Obi-Wan, regretfully. "If only I had spoken to them sooner, fought harder, then perhaps…" He sighed. _Perhaps._

Aayla rested a hand on his shoulder. "It is not your fault. She wanted to go. He was not ready to let her go."

"I wish I could believe you," said Obi-Wan, staring out at the speeders. Aayla stood with him for a while, her head resting on his shoulder, their hands overlapping on the balcony rail. And while he wasn't at peace, it helped, just a little, to not be alone with his thoughts.

* * *

 **Now**

Obi-Wan rolled the coin over and over in his fingers. He glanced up, head still bowed, to look at the soldiers who stood on either side of the glowing green shield that made up his cell door and bars. With a sigh, he looked back at the coin. He didn't recognize either man. They had no allegiance to him. It would be of no use to talk to them.

They only knew him as a criminal. As a traitor. As a murderer.

* * *

 **Then**

"He is ready," said Obi-Wan, from his seat in the Council Chambers. Many of the Jedi masters were present today, if only because of the lull in the war.

Mace shook his head. "I cannot believe that. Skywalker is still too attached to you, and he's been knighted for several years."

"I believe he can handle an apprentice," said Obi-Wan, ignoring the barb at his and Anakin's attachment to one another. He was handling it, Obi-Wan told himself, even as shoved down the thought that he was as attached to Anakin as Anakin was to him. There was no harm in their attachment, in their brotherly love. Even if the Council did not agree.

"Learn to let go, young Skywalker must," said Master Yoda, stroking his hands over his cane.

"But is he capable of such a thing?" asked Plo Koon. "Skywalker is an incredible Jedi, but I fear he is not ready for such a responsibility."

Shaak Ti leaned casually, her hologram flickering for but a moment. "I believe Skywalker would be an excellent master," she said. Obi-Wan was grateful for her support. "Any Padawan would be lucky to have him."

"But when the time comes," said Ki-Adi-Mundi. "Will be he able to let go of his Padawan and allow them to become their own person?"

The Council didn't have an easy answer for that. For several long, awkward moments, no one spoke.

Shaak Ti finally said, "When the time comes, Obi-Wan, do you believe Skywalker can let go of his attachment for the child? Whether he wants to or not?"

"His wanting has nothing to do with it. He must let go when the child is knighted," said Obi-Wan. It wasn't a direct answer, by far, but he was typically charismatic enough that no one noticed.

"If that child dies, we could have a rogue on our hands," said Eeth Koth.

Plo Koon shook his head. "With Anakin's training and guardianship? That child will outlive us all."

"Do you not want another apprentice, Master Kenobi?" asked Luminara, who was sitting in.

Obi-Wan shook his head, a wry smile on his face. "No, I believe I've done my duty in training the Chosen One of the Republic." That got a few chuckles out of the Council, though they were serious enough again in only a few seconds.

"But," said Obi-Wan, when they were all silent again. "I think Anakin needs one, truly."

"If you are certain, let us put it to a vote," said Mace. "All in favour?"

All but two hands were raised.

"Settled then, it is," said Master Yoda. "An apprentice, young Skywalker will gain."

"Did you have one in mind?" asked Mace.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "No."

Leaning forward, Plo Koon said, "But, I do."

* * *

 **Now**

There was talk outside his cell. Obi-Wan opened his eyes and found himself still fiddling with the coin. He tucked it into the folds of his tunic and stood. Outside the door was Mace, looking ragged and guilt-ridden all at once. But there was something else in his eyes – not anger, not frustration, but justice all the same.

Mace knew what Obi-Wan had done. Condoned without condoning. Supported without supporting. No member of the Council could speak one way or the other today. Not without solid, physical proof.

It would be a miracle to find any.

Mace opened the door to Obi-Wan's cell and placed the Force inhibitor cuffs around his wrists. Obi-Wan followed him down the hall, flanked by two soldiers whose names he wished he knew.

* * *

 **Then**

Obi-Wan froze when he saw Plo Koon walking down the hall toward him. He debated running and hiding, hoping that Plo Koon had not seen him, or perhaps even flat out sprinting away.

"Obi-Wan!" called Plo Koon, a hand raised in greeting. Obi-Wan managed a mangled form of his usual smile and raised his hand in similar greeting. Well, there went that idea.

"Master Plo," said Obi-Wan, ignoring the tightness in his voice. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

Even through his environmental filters, Obi-Wan knew the look Plo Koon was giving him. It was a simple look – one of disbelief and mild amusement. He often wore it for Anakin, but not usually for Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan felt a small twinge of shame that he'd managed to procure The Look.

"I wanted to speak with you," said Plo Koon. "To see if you were well." He gestured for the two to walk toward the gardens. With a frown, Obi-Wan allowed himself to be led through the Temple.

"I am… well," said Obi-Wan, pausing on the word. He couldn't shake the tenseness in his shoulders or the fear in his mind. He knew Plo could sense both, but he couldn't find the strength or the serenity to shake them.

It was bothersome, to say the least. Especially with the look Plo was giving him. The man was far too expressive for someone who had half their face covered.

"And yourself?" asked Obi-Wan, resting his hands on the small of his back so Plo didn't notice the fidgeting. He probably still did.

"Obi-Wan." Plo's voice was a warning. Obi-Wan dropped his gaze and studied the very interesting floor tiles they were walking on.

"I'm sorry," said Obi-Wan, softly. "I don't know what you want from me, Plo." He shook his head. "I should have stopped her. I should have defended her. I should have done _something_. But I didn't." His gaze found Plo's. "I'm sorry," he said again.

Plo sighed. "It's not your fault. It's all of ours, for believing that Ahsoka could fall to the Dark Side."

"If she hadn't been Anakin's apprentice," started Obi-Wan.

"We shouldn't just people based on their masters," said Plo Koon. "Or should we judge you based on your master?"

Obi-Wan stopped and pivoted, hackles raising. "Qui-Gon Jinn was an incredible Jedi."

"And a grey one," Plo Koon cut in. "There was a reason the Council didn't trust him, Obi-Wan. And yet here you are, a master." Plo Koon tipped his head to one side. "What does that tell you about our judgement?"

Obi-Wan sighed. "I still believe he was the greatest Jedi of our time."

"He was your master, you are inclined to think as much," said Plo Koon. "I know young Skywalker believes the same of you."

"I don't believe Anakin thinks much of me lately, to be honest," said Obi-Wan, softly. He shook his head.

"You'd be surprised, my friend," said Plo Koon. Obi-Wan sighed. He doubted that. After all, Anakin had told him that it was his fault Ahsoka was gone, last time they'd spoken. Which, if Obi-Wan remembered correctly, had been three days ago.

* * *

 **Now**

Obi-Wan didn't think he'd ever been booed when walking into the Senate Chambers, and yet, here he was, being booed. He couldn't imagine anyone else ever being booed. They'd never done what he'd done, after all.

His gaze found Mas Amedda, who was presiding over his trial today. Obi-Wan fought a sigh when Amedda glared at him. He deserved this. He deserved every piece of it.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi," said Mas Amedda when the chambers had gone silent. Obi-Wan held himself still as he was lifted closer to Amedda on his repulsor. A pair of clone troopers stood behind him, hands on their weapons.

"You have been brought before the council today to stand trial for your crimes against the Republic," said Mas Amedda. "Do you have anything to say, before we begin?"

Obi-Wan shook his head, lips pressed tightly together.

"Then let us begin."

* * *

 **Then**

Obi-Wan awoke to a disturbance in the Force. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and looked toward his door.

Qui-Gon Jinn stood at the end of his bed, glowing.

Obi-Wan scrambled backwards, hands sliding on his sheets, until his back smacked against the headboard. He stared, eyes wide, at Qui-Gon, who was faintly glowing.

"M-Master?" he managed, voice cracking. He wanted to grimace, be embarrassed, but he was too busy being shocked at the Force Ghost that stood before him. Qui-Gon had _never_ visited him. Obi-Wan didn't think he'd never given the man a reason.

"Hello, Obi-Wan," said Qui-Gon. His voice threw Obi-Wan back to the battle against Darth Maul. To the touch of Qui-Gon's hand upon his cheek as he'd asked Obi-Wan to do the impossible – to train the Chosen One. He blinked hard, suddenly near tears.

It had been years. He'd never realized how much he'd missed his old master until now.

"What are you doing here?" asked Obi-Wan. He swallowed hard and slowly let his body relax. Smoothed out the sheets he was under and tried not to fidget.

"I've come to make a request of you," said Qui-Gon. There was a soft sadness in his eyes that didn't bode well for Obi-Wan.

"Anything," said Obi-Wan.

Qui-Gon sighed and folded his hands in front of him. "The Sith Lord is in the Senate building. I know this now. I also know that I cannot enter the building, for the Dark Side is much too strong around it." He frowned. "I must ask something terrible of you, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan's shoulders fell, but he managed a nod. "Anything," he said again.

"I need to know who the Sith Lord is, and I need you to kill him, before he can take Anakin," said Qui-Gon. "Can you do that for me?"

"Of course, Master."

* * *

 **Now**

Obi-Wan held his shoulders straight and his head high as Mas Amedda went through the typical opening to a trial. Then, it was time to read off his crimes.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi, former Jedi Master and member of the Jedi Council," said Mas Amedda. "You have been accused of committing gross treason against the Republic. You have been accused of assault with a deadly weapon against the GAR, arson in a government building, destruction of property, lying and using mind control on officers of the law, and," Mas Amedda straightened up, his voice booming. "Most grievously, you have been accused of premeditated first degree murder of our Supreme Chancellor, Sheev Palpatine."

Mas Amedda scowled. "How do you plead?"

Obi-Wan locked eyes with Mas, raised his voice to be heard above the din, and said, "Guilty."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Two more quick things.

1) The next chapter will return to Rex. There will be a couple more Obi-Wan moments, but this _is_ Rex's story. I just needed this chapter.

2) Palpatine's death won't stay off-screen. Trust me on that. And if you think this kills the story, believe me, we still have another 16 chapters to go. I know what I'm doing.

Review!


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